Just Who Is "Shadow Dog Designs?"

My name is Catherine and I create unique, mostly one-of-a-kind jewelry using semi-precious stones and sterling silver. But I also love to integrate bone, copper, brass, polymer clay, lampwork and many other different non-stone components in my handmade work. Also incorporated into many designs are pendants and beads from my wide range of artist friends, making a piece designed with them that much extra special.  I have fun “working” at what I love!

My business was named Shadow Dog Designs about 15 years ago to honor Chase and Loki, the two rescue dogs my husband and I had the privilege of sharing a life with at that time. Later on came sweet Mesa, who, with her cone, is my easily recognized avatar that can be seen all over social media sites. The Shadow Dogs followed me everywhere; naming the business after them seemed the most logical choice. I am an ardent supporter of adopting dogs from shelters and donate ½ of the purchase price of my “dog rescue” jewelry line to the local Humane Society, where we adopted our newest Shadow Dog, the lovable goofus, Seamus.

My Masters is in Science Education and I taught science and math for 12 years in Texas, but because of my husband’s job, we began to move every couple of years. Right now, we are living in El Paso, Texas, fondly called “Last Texas” because it’s right on the western tip of Texas.  Just a bit further west is New Mexico and not too far south is the border with Mexico.

I try to create jewelry that is like a dear friend, pieces that you will reach for over and over again and enjoy each time they are worn. Nature is always a huge inspiration; I revel in the colors, shapes and textures that I see all around me. The desert is subtle in its absolute beauty and something always triggers an idea and the need to create. For example, after coming back from three weeks in the Australian Outback, most of what I designed for months afterwards was inspired by the trip, stones of a rich earthy red color that mimicked the soil of the Red Centre.  I still find myself reaching for those colors.

I am a self-professed science and nature geek. When I am not doing things related to jewelry design, you can quite often find me lying on my stomach in the grass looking at an insect, with binoculars in hand watching birds in the arroyo behind our house, or hiking with our current Shadow Dog, Seamus, and picking up about every sparkly, interesting rock I see.

A friend and I walked into a newly-opened bead shop in Warrenton, Virginia, and were dazzled by the possibilities: there was a whole wall of amazing gemstones waiting for me! My friend and I signed up for a basic jewelry-making class before we left the shop that day, and I took other classes over the course of several years. The shop owners at the time, Norma and Nick, gave me invaluable advice when I first started selling my jewels at shows and in galleries.  They are still very supportive to this day and I value them as long time friends.  

Besides taking classes, I read a lot and browse the internet to learn new techniques and keep up with the newest stones. Going to gem and mineral shows is also invaluable – I love hanging out and talking with the vendors, especially the ones that make their own pendants and beads to sell.  I also like to study about stones, their geological formation, their history through the ages, and so on.

Sometimes when I am out shopping for stones or other components to add to my already hefty stash, I instantly see a design and can’t wait to get home to make that piece of jewelry. I’ll collect my supplies, sit down and make it without many deviations from what flashed in my mind. Other times, I might play with the stones for hours or days (or months . . . or years) stringing and re-stringing, adding and taking off and re-arranging, until the Muses tell me it’s done. Even though I keep up with current trends, I definitely create what is right for me.

One of the bedrooms in the house we’re renting became my studio, and I spend a lot of time creating and looking out over the amazingly colored desert and the mountains beyond over into Mexico. The play of light over the land is such an inspiration and it is definitely showing up in my jewelry designs.  

Mother Nature is my biggest inspiration, but sometimes the Muses go on vacation and I hit a creative block. During those times, I can’t push a design, or else I invariably end up taking it apart. To help boost me over that, I load Seamus into the Dog Mobile, drive out to a hiking trail and just look at and breathe in and feel what’s around me.

I have two short and sweet pieces of advice, given to me when I was first starting out. The first is, “Make what you feel.” And the second is, “Do NOT undersell your jewels.” I think both of those are invaluable, and have followed them as best as I can from Day One.

Thank you for letting me share a little of myself with you.  And thank you for getting this far!  If you would really like to make my day, please leave a comment (even it is to say what a handsome companion Seamus is) - it will be greatly appreciated!