About Me

If you enjoy adorning your body with jewelry, you are not alone. The first evidence of the wearing of jewelry dates back to prehistoric times. Necklaces made of shells and beads that are estimated to be over 100,000 years old have been discovered by teams of archaeologists.

People wore jewelry for many reasons, including spiritual protection from physical harm and to designate status or rank among tribes.

Although you may have different reasons for wearing jewelry than those of our predecessors, it remains a time-honored tradition among people all over the world.

My Childhood

My name is Marissol Martins, and my goal is to produce jewelry that you are proud to wear and will distinguish you as a person of culture and refinement (or someone who just wants to wear fun jewelry!).

I was born in Brazil in 1987, and I guess I was what you would call a “precocious” child. At the tender age of eight, I would hop on a bus and start my day working in my father’s shop, a newsstand that sold newspapers and magazines. He entrusted me with the daily tasks of waiting on customers and doing the day’s-end bookkeeping. On Sundays, I made myself extra pretty by putting on makeup to impress the mayor, who made a habit of coming in to buy whatever periodicals interested him that day.

Like most kids, I was given a weekly allowance by my dad. However, unlike most kids, I chose not to spend my allowance on candy bars, sodas, or toys. No, I would spend my money on materials to make jewelry, such as beads and nylon fishing line to string them together. It was apparent that I was one of those kids who already knew what she “wanted to be when she grew up.”

At the age of 12, our family moved to America, which, as you can imagine, was a major adjustment for all of us. I learned English and attended school.

My Education and Training

Among my list of educational accomplishments, I earned an AA Degree in Business Administration from College of Southern Nevada. It was rewarding, yet I knew that my passion lay elsewhere, which was learning to craft and sell fine jewelry.

In 2014, I enrolled in a beginning metalsmith class, where I learned how to work with a variety of metals. It was at this point that I truly fell in love with the entire craft of jewelry-making, and began searching for college-level classes to enroll in that would help me to hone my skills. This search took me to the Irvine Fine Arts Center and Saddleback Community College in Orange County, California where I continued to learn the art and science of jewelry-making.

As I progressed in my education, I found myself becoming involved in the Santa Ana Bead Society and enrolled in workshops that they sponsored. I also became a member of the Metal Society of Southern California.

Not content with those activities, I also travelled to Florence, Italy, to take a one-week class in goldsmithing. Here I learned the intricacies of mixing the various metal alloys (gold, silver, copper, etc.) that make up the different grades of gold (14, 18, and 24 carat) as well as white, rose, and green gold.

As my skills improved and my confidence increased, my production of jewelry products increased too.

My Hobbies

As an artist, I feel the need to regularly stimulate my creativity and replenish my inspiration. In order to accomplish this, I recently bought an RV and now travel to areas where I can immerse myself in nature (desert, mountains, beaches, you name it!). The beauty of this business is its portability (the fact that I can take my inventory with me and set up “pop-ups” wherever I go in order to sell some of the items I have crafted).

In addition to my love of nature, I also enjoy cooking and spending time with family and friends.

My Commitment to You

I consider myself to be a responsible person (remember that little girl in my father’s store?), and part of that responsibility is owning a company that responds to the needs and wants of its customers.

In addition, I am always looking for new adventures and challenges in life.

I am committed to expanding my creativity and passion and working with you to create jewelry that you are proud to wear and expresses what you want to convey to the world. I believe that what you put on should be the best reflection of you, and should bring out feelings of joy, nostalgia, affection, warmth, and gratitude, among many others.

Distinctive Features of my Jewelry

If versatility and variety are what you need, you’ve come to the right place. It is easy to mix and match with my pieces, such as the different metals and gemstones. Rings can be stamped with personalized names, dates, symbols, phrases, and other custom features that set you apart. If the healing properties of gemstones or emotional connections are important to you, we can discuss how to incorporate these special stones into any ring, bracelet, earring, or necklace that you order.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss any project that you have in mind. My goal is to create one or several pieces of jewelry that you will be satisfied with for many years to come.

Biography copy written by Gerry Schwerdt