After owning and running a gallery for 17 years in metropolitan Columbus, Ohio, Janet moved to rural Livermore, Colorado in 1997 in search of a simpler, less frantic way of life. Although Janet has designed and exhibited beaded jewelry for 20 years, it was time to move on to something more whimsical.
Janet developed beaded leaded glass crystal mobiles actually in 1985 and sold them in the Crystal Fantasies gallery along with beaded jewelry. Since moving to Colorado, Janet has dumped the retail gallery concept for the gypsy life of a show artist. Travelling is one of Janet’s favorite activities as it introduces her to new colors and textures of landscape and wildlife. Janet finds the work of other artists she meets inspiring! They are her “Art School”. There is always a new idea or a new take on an old one.
The evolution of the designs of the mobiles is toward a clean, uncluttered look which can be enjoyed up close or at a distance under any sort of lighting. Sometimes, Janet’s inspiration is a new crystal or a new color combination she finds in nature or the texture of a painting seen at a show.
Crystal Fantasies mobiles are more than just a crystal on the end of a beaded strand. They are truly “jewelry for the house”. They are a collection of fine materials from artisans from around the world, designed to evoke a feeling of continuity, completeness, and unity with other cultures around the world.