Margaret O’Brien (or Margarita), the jewelry artist of the Pixieprincess Studio, is in the business of making unique, magical sparklies for good girls and boys of all ages in the hopes of spreading whimsy and joy into a world knowing too little of it. Margarita is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati's School of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning and San Francisco's Revere Academy of Jewelry Art. When not creating jewelry, Margarita enjoys bellydance, yoga, gardening, and knitting.
Artist Statement
I thoroughly enjoy the process of design and creation, from forming ideas, to blending colors and bending metal to my will. Shaping these powerful materials into fine designs feels magical. Many of my creative ideas are derived from Nature’s example, tending towards organic line, forms, and texture. I am currently exploring color and texture in metal. Fine silver metal clay, which at first works like clay in one’s hands, lends itself to texture without the pains of manipulating hard metals. One can pick up textures from natural elements by simply pressing the clay into the texture before firing in a kiln. Because it is pure fine silver, it is a perfect palette for vitreous enamels. .Fine silver enhances the reflective quality and keeps the true color of the translucent enamel glass, while being an ideal fusing metal that will not oxidize while one works. The vitreous enamel I use is fine powdered glass that can be fused to metal at high temperatures in a kiln. I enjoy exploring color and pattern through enamel while using many different techniques. My more recent work of the last year has focused on cloisonné enamel which is a very intricate and time consuming process. In many of these newer pieces, I am breaking free from the meticulous to explore in an unrestrained manner.
Education: Revere Academy of the Jewelry Arts, San Francisco, CA – 2000
Jewelry Technician Intensive Graduate Certification
University of Cincinnati, College of DAAP, Cincinnati, OH – 1994 to 1998
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture – Graduated Cum Laude
Workshops: Enamelist Society Conference, Oakland, CA-2009
Form and Image workshop with Jessica Calderwood
University of Oregon Craft Center, Eugene, OR – 2008
Chasing and repoussé with Chuatli Hernandez
Riverbend Arts Center, Dayton, OH – 2001 to 2007
Weekly Casting Classes with David Brand
Arrowmont, Gatlinburg, TN – 2007
Granulation for Enameling Workshop with Patsy Croft
Thompson Enamel, Bellevue, KY – 2006
Cloisonné Enameling Workshop with Merry Lee Rae
Riverbend Arts Center, Dayton, OH – 2005 to 2006
Weekly Lapidary Classes with Keith Singerman
Thompson Enamel, Bellevue, KY – 2004
Enameling workshops with Tom Ellis
Riverbend Arts Center, Dayton, OH – 2004
Weekly Enameling Classes with John Hutchinson
Professional Experience:
September 2007 to CURRENT Blue Moon Jewelry Designs Eugene, OR
Sales Associate, Designer
December 2007 to CURRENT University of Oregon Craft Center Eugene, OR
Enameling and Metals instructor
1999 to CURRENT Margaret O’Brien Jewelry Studio Eugene, OR & Cincinnati,OH
Sole proprietor, bench jeweler, designer & private metals instructor
2006 to August 2007 Thompson Enamel Bellevue, KY
Enameling & cloisonné workshop instructor
2003 to August 2007 Riverbend Arts Center Dayton, OH
Metal Construction and Stone Setting in Jewelry Instructor
Workshop instructor in soldering, chainmaking & rivets
March & July 2007 Zeffers Studio Lytle, OH
Workshop instructor for soldering and rivets
2002 to January 2003 World of Beads Cincinnati, OH
Byzantine, chainmaille & beading class teacher and designer
January 2001 to November 2001 D.Raphael Cincinnati, OH
Bench jeweler
1998 to 1999 Soulmates Custom Design Jewelry Cincinnati, OH
Bench jeweler & designer
Recent Exhibits and Shows:
February- March 2010 Adell McMillan Gallery University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
The Craft Center Staff Show
December 2009 Artists and Authors Eugene, OR
November 2009 Oregon Crafted Sampler Art Show Eugene, OR
July 2009 Maude Kerns Art and the Vineyard Eugene, OR
April – July 2009 Eugene Saturday Market Eugene, OR
February- March 2009 Adell McMillan Gallery University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
The Craft Center Staff Show
Professional Affiliations: Blue Moon Jewelry Designs, Eugene, OR
GEMS- Guild of Eugene Metalsmiths
The Enamelist Society
Eugene Saturday Market
Pendleton Art Center Artists
Ohio Valley Enameling Guild
Ganoksin Orchid Jeweler’s Community