Tammy Spencer, of TS Designs, has traveled far from her birth place of Waterville, Maine, but has maintained the thread of creativity that links her to her past. Drawing inspiration from her travels and the world around her, she crafts her hand-hammererd, sterling silver and 14 karat gold-filled jewelry using entirely self-taught techniques. In her hands, the shape of a gold bowl spied in a Morocc
an bazaar may find itself married to chunks of black vintage Italian glass in a dramatic necklace, which somehow magically circles back to reference Ancient Egypt. Several years ago, while undergoing a time of personal crises, Tammy found herself experiencing vivid dreams of jewelry designs - which she would immediately sketch upon awakening. These drawings became her emotional catharsis and the template for her utterly original line of jewelry. Her technique is entirely self-taught through much perseverance and unconventional experimentation. Rather than traditional measuring methods, Tammy prefers to use household objects as her tools of reference. Seamlessly, blending ethnic and modern influences, her pieces riff on a circular motif, exploring the themes of continuity, connection and eternal return. Each unique piece reveals her respect for the past, appreciation of the present, and curiosity about the future. Tammy finds that her favorite pieces are the ones which land far from where they originally started, yet evoke the past, mirroring the journey she has taken herself.
