Joan Bazzel

A self employed artist for 30 some years, Joan is reliant on creativity as her "soul" source of support. Joan attended art museum schools from the age of 8 through 15 when the family migrated to California. Graduation was the start of a new adventure as an art major at the University of California, Berkeley. Joan supported myself by learning how to fabricate silver jewelry, and found a ready market for her wares throughout the Bay Area. She learned to cast metal centrifugally with instructor Toza Radakovitch, and learned the art of vitreous enameling with one of her special mentors, Inna Babich. Cloisonné became an obsession for Joan because of another ethereal talent and teacher, Lilli Hill. She started The Bazzel Workshop in 1980. Joan, her husband, son and two dogs moved to North Carolina in 1991. Joan’s jewelry is formed of gold, silver, precious stones, and her beloved enamels. Every aspect of her jewelry is designed and executed by Joan in her studio, and each is either one-of-a-kind or of a small limited edition.