I knew very early on that I wanted to either be an artist or work with animals and I have been lucky enough to do both. I had a wonderful career as a veterinary professional for over 35 years, and I married a veterinarian. About 6 years ago I came down with a very serious illness, was bedridden for 3 years, had 15 major surgeries and 2 joint replacements, nearly lost my right leg and my life. When I was still recovering and learning how to walk all over again, my husbands mother brought me a book on making silver wire jewelry. That started me on the road to jewelry making, sitting in my hospital bed with books and wires all around me. I started taking metalsmithing classes and found that I really really liked jewelry design and creation. I met a wonderful woman named Peggy at a party while I was still learning to walk again. She noticed the jewelry I had on and before I knew it she had Invited me to be a "house" artist in her neighborhood store/coffee shop/ sundries shop/ meeting place/ art gallery, "The Corner Store" in San Pedro , has been my home base for 5 years now, and I love it there.
The name "Lone Palm" came from a landslide on the road behind my house,. Most of the road fell into the ocean except for one small island of earth with one little palm tree on it. I saw this palm tree as a metaphor for what I had been through: While everything was crumbling, doom and destruction predicted around it, that one little palm tree stood against all the odds and survived. That is how I felt after fighting for my life for more than 3 years and winning,
That is how Lone Palm Jewelry Studio's came to be named, because I can see the landslide from my studio window and it always reminds me that in life you have to be strong to survive.