Gea Schoenmakers designs her jewelry and memorial pieces under the name Studio eSparc. She received her training as gold and silversmith at the Schoonhoven Craftschool and also followed a part-time education in arts and crafts in Amsterdam.
The love of the craft originally began with the weaving of glass beads, an interest which further developed during numerous travels through collecting old beads of silver, coral, turquoise, lapis and other stones and creating necklaces and ear-rings of them.
Her special fascination is the artistic compositions of nomadic and indigenous cultures in which jewelry is not just a fashion-item or a status symbol but an integral part of life.
This authenticity is what she attempts to express in contemporary design.
The phenomena of ‘mourning jewelry’ has inspired her to create memorial objects such as mini-urns, ash jewelry and hair lockets. Keeping a symbolic amount of ash or a lock of hair as a tangible remembrance of a person who was dear to you can help the grieving process. "Nowadays we live in a culture with a renewed interest in the creation of contemporary rituals and memorial objects can be a welcome addition.". The lockets are worn as pendants and can also be used to store other memories such as a portion of earth or sand from a favourite or holy place, or perhaps a mantra or a prayer.
In designing her jewelry and memorial pieces she seeks to add a personal touch, a confirmation of the wearer’s identity. Often the starting point is to make a design together with the client. Her work consists of uniquely produced pieces and small series based on particular designs.
Combinations of precious metals, gems and enamel stand central in her work and lead to surprising results.
Studio eSparc is to be found in the artists’ community Ruigoord, close to Amsterdam. For further information visit this link and this one (Gea Schoenmakers).