Jolie Mack

Designer/Principal

Birthday: December, sometime in the Seventies.
City of Birth: Regina, Saskatchewan

City of Youth: Edmonton, Alberta
City of Residence: Vancouver, BC

Design Inspiration
I love colour and jewelery that swings; movement and drama will always catch my creative eye. Semi-precious and precious stones have metaphysical qualities all to their own and knowing these qualities sometimes will move a design into a mood - for example, romantic or fierce. But most of the inspiration just comes from my mind roaming about as I sit and pick through materials then locking on one thing - a colour combination, an interesting cut of crystal, or a memory from a summer long ago.

(Click here to see a few memories from my personal photo album.)

Design Style

I'm told that I have a long neck but then I have all of this hair...so little earrings get lost on me. I always tend to design on the larger side of things. However, I have a conservative side too, so even though the pair of earrings will have presence, they will project a certain grace and shyness to keep from being overwhelming.

Materials that Excite

Oh dear...I'll have to say anything that shines, sparkles and glitters. Vintage crystal is a passion and so exciting when I find it! I really love the look of sparkle and matte together so pairing Vintage Swarovski with pale Turquoise is heaven to me.

Music to Guide
Everything But The Girl, the BeeGees, Donna Summer, Don Williams and the country music I grew up with, Jack Johnson, Classical and lots of House. Music is a must when I work and likely lends a hand to how a design will end up.

Lately, I have been absolutely absorbed in the Flight of The Conchords. I cannot get enough!

 
Motivating Factors

Self employment, tactile productivity, creation and peace and quiet. Just me and my glittering treasures, visited a few times in the day by parental responsibilty and the cat.

Personal Interests

Nature and all of its' facets. Atlases, dictionaries and historical romances. My children and how they see this place. All things Cat, photography, Will Ferrell and David Letterman. I love my record player and all of the memories that playing it brings. Trailer parks and the Alberta sky, the Rocky Mountains and snow, Vancouver Island and the amazing Pacific Ocean. And  - jewelery, of course.

Future Explorations

The rest of Canada, Poland, the Netherlands, Russia and my storage room. Sometimes I think I should also look into the depths of my deep freezer but that's one trip I keep putting off! Veterinarian sciences is in my sights too, although I have no idea how I'm going to fit that in.

Books to Read

I have recently read Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, a delight to read! It does wonders for my nostalgic mind and paints an amazing image of the American South and the gorgeous state of Georgia during the Civil War. Being Canadian, we don't learn much about how the U.S was shaped, but this book has spurred my interest in how modern American came to be. And of course, Rhett Butler is as dashing as ever.

Cars to Drive

Right now I'm sporting a Kia Rio RX-V. It's practical in economical. I have had many cars in my decade and a half of driving, my favorite being my 1995 Toyota Rav4. Until last summer, I had a sleek 2003 Ford Windstar Sport Edition (fancy!) and I LOVED it - that is until two transmissions and 7G's later. And I know, this has little to do with jewelery, although a car really does make a nice accessory, no?

Favourite quotes:
"Listen to many, speak to a few."
- William Shakespeare -

"Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then. " - (amen!)

- Katherine Hepburn -

    "Style is the hallmark of a temperament stamped upon the material at hand.”

- Andre Maurois -