Annette VanLeeuwen

Annette VanLeeuwen has been making jewellery in her Toronto studio, on the shores of Lake Ontario, for over ten years. Her environment, a B.F.A. in painting and sculpture, a B.Ed., many years of working as an educator along with a Goldsmithing diploma, combine to provide her with a rich background from which to explore jewellery making.

In all her designs, Annette strives for a balance between wearability, originality, simplicity and good design. At times her inspiration will come from the materials she surrounds herself with. Pebbles, scraps of copper, pieces of exotic ebony wood, chunks of bone or gold leaf have all been used as "gems" in her jewellery. At other times, graphic images, textures, other art forms, or nature may provide the seed of inspiration for new pieces of jewellery.