The Name

Elisabet is a name that has passed down from generation to generation in my family, either as a first or middle name, as far back as I can search. I’ve even made a trek to a graveyard where a number of my ancestors are buried. The English spelling of the name is Elizabeth, the Hungarian is Erszebet, and the Scandinavian is Elisabet. I, Karin Anderson, am the designer behind the name.

The Journey

In 1994, at the very beginning of the make-your-own beading craze, I walked into a newly opened bead store. Three hours later, I emerged with a bag teeming with irresistible stuff I had no idea what to do with. It was often difficult for me to buy jewelry for myself because I had a hard time finding pieces that reflected “me” - silver pieces with classic lines, either muted colors or very vibrant ones, beautiful yet affordable stones, monochromatic pieces that work with many outfits, the minimal use of chains. I discovered the opportunity to unlock my longing for affordable yet luxurious, tasteful jewelry. Who could have guessed that one serendipitous shopping jaunt would result in an odyssey of bead and metalsmithing classes, countless books, summer artist camps and years of trial and error fabrication.

Roots

I come from a family of creative people: mother - a painter, father - a classical pianist, brother - in advertising. They continue to give me a lot of creative energy, encourage my jewelry endeavors and provide constructive feedback. And so my hands just keep making things, and my mind keeps on seeing more things I want to make.