Fabricating and casting jewelry since 1991 has changed the direction of my professional career 180 degrees. I am a former high school physical education teacher and women’s gymnastic coach from Wisconsin. Moving to Kalamazoo Michigan in 1991 and loving fashion adornments led me to explore my creative side in the jewelry world of silver, gold and natural stones. After 3 years of experimenting with metals and learning from local well known and knowledgeable Jewelers, in 1994 I started my own business–Judith Jansen Jewelry, also known as J3.

Moving beyond the beginning in 1994, I have searched out and studied with some of the nation’s and world’s best known jewelry artists and designers. Such as: IL Maestro Aquafresca (from Florence, Italy), Cecelia Bauer (New York City), the Jewelery Arts Institute (New York City), Ronda Coryell (Austin, Texas), Alison Antelman, Richard Salley, Julie Sanford, Michael David Sturlin, Chuck Bruce, all of these National artists have taught and inspired my work in so many ways.

Over the years my designs have become more detailed and refined. I have enjoyed traveling the country to select stones mined worldwide for just the prefect jasper, or agate cabochon to incorporate into my work. Working with natural, yet highly polished stones gives me great inspiration from their colors, natural pattern within the stones, as well as their texture. Stones just feel great. Since 2017, I have begun cutting and polishing my own cabochons. Using slabs of stones from world wide locations, and then doing the lapidary work has opened up many other design opportunities.

My husband and I live in West Olive, Michigan…just 7 miles south of Grand Haven, Michigan. Moving here takes me geographically away from Kalamazoo, but I still remain a member of the Signature Artist Cooperative for 16 years and counting, visiting Kalamazoo for events, meetings and of course our annual Holiday Art Gallery. 2020 will be a little different, we won’t have a “brick and mortar” art gallery, because of social distancing due to the Covid Virus, we will have a virtual art gallery. This means that all of the wonderful people that visit our annual art gallery will still be able to view and shop from the Signature artists virtually, on our Signature website.

Living away from Kalamazoo, I will be either delivering purchases to customers in Kalamazoo (driving to town when and if weather and Covid permit) or sending purchases, fully insured directly to your homes. Which ever is more convenient for the customer, those details will be discussed with each individual customer, either by text, email or phone calls.

Thank you for checking out our website. I look forward to hearing from so many customers on our brand new Signature Gallery shopping site.