About Kelley Pounds
Nature, myths, fairytales and legends—these elements have always inspired my desire to create, from the time I wrote and illustrated my own stories as a child, to today, creating enchanting jewelry and artwork for dreamers, romantics, and people who appreciate the aesthetic of bygone eras and mystical realms.
For many years I was a floral designer, with side hustles as a sign painter, calligrapher, and apparel artist, painting images and scenes on clothing sold in boutiques. During that time, I also wrote novels and eventually had one published. But in 2007 the creative trajectory of my life changed when I followed a whim and took a class in wire jewelry. I was hooked! This ancient form of jewelry fabrication filled my imagination with new possibilities, and I was eager to experiment and explore, incorporating all the themes that I loved. My new creations were juried into two shows that first year, and my time spent in the flower shop designing corsages and wedding bouquets influenced my style and artistic vision, blending botanical features with fantastical elements from fables and folklore.
I have expanded my jewelry design repertoire to incorporate gemstones, polymer clay, dichroic glass, resin, and most recently metal clay, an amazingly versatile medium that allows for sculpting, carving, and even “painting” designs that are later fired in a kiln to create fully sintered pieces of wearable metal art.
I named my business Kell’s Creations because of the nickname “Kell,” given to me by a close childhood friend, but also as a nod to my love of calligraphy and the art of medieval illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells. I still love the artistry of calligraphy, and my style, whether in jewelry or in more traditional drawing and painting media, is reminiscent of the graceful lines and subject matter of Art Nouveau and Celtic Revival artists such as René Lalique, Alphonse Mucha, Margaret MacDonald, and Phoebe Anna Traquair.
As for my personal life, I live on a ranch in central New Mexico with my husband, whom I met in high school, and I work out of my home studio. Together we have one amazing daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. In the winter I crochet as a hobby, but when the weather warms up, I love to hike or work in my yard. I also always seem to have a home remodeling or décor project in the works.
So welcome to Kell’s Creations, LLC! I’m happy you’re here. If you have any questions, I have a FAQ page, but if you don’t find the answer there, or if you would like to contact me for another reason, please use the form on the "Contact" page.