Photo courtesy of Monika Lee
Monika Lee
Milwaukee area jewelry designer Monika Lee was born in Austria and came to the U.S. as a child, becoming a citizen at age 10. Off the Cuff chatted with Lee about her career of creating unique, beautiful pieces.
Did Europe have an influence on your designing jewelry?
I go back to visit family, and as a girl, used to ride the steam trains, and traveled to Florence, Italy. I went to Ponte Vecchio there, where you can see every kind of artisan jewelry imaginable. It was like being in Heaven, and definitely influenced me. There were women wearing the most beautiful jewelry, and I told myself one day I would design my own. I’ve been a hairstylist since High School, and so that’s always been my profession. Add jewelry making to that, and having people look and feel their best is what it’s about. The two are interconnected.
You’ve been designing jewelry for about seven years now. What got you started?
About seven years ago, I was sitting on my couch knitting a scarf, when I looked down and saw a long wire on the floor. I picked it up and tried using my knitting needles with the wire to create a piece of jewelry. I worked tenaciously at it, and eventually made something that I was pleased with. This was the beginning, and it has taken off ever since. I started taking my goods to craft fairs and was then asked to sell in a store. I did well at the store and will soon be displaying it at an art gallery in Milwaukee.
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Describe the materials used in your jewelry.
I use various gauges and colors of wire, Swarovski crystals, all types of beads, semi-precious stones, as well as base metals such as gold, silver, copper and rose gold. I now make three kinds of jewelry out of wire, titanium mesh, and mesh tubing. I can incorporate all three in one piece if I want.
How do you come up with consistently new designs?
I tend to create from my imagination, and work on designs as I go. Sometimes, I have no idea what the finished piece will look like. That’s what truly makes it fun.
Where do you show your work? Do you have an online presence?
I do craft fairs, art crawls, a show at the Pfister Hotel once. I’ve tried selling on Etsy and Marketplace online but prefer a hands-on experience. When I can explain to people how I create my jewelry, and they try it on and have a smile on their face, that’s a big bonus. I’ve had men look at my designs, too. They look at each piece and often decide it’s exactly what they’re looking for as a gift to their wife or significant other.
What is it about making jewelry that gives you satisfaction?
It’s fun to make something that I myself love, and that others enjoy, too. Making a customer happy is, in the end, what I love most. When I can please them and know that they really like something I’ve made, it’s both rewarding and satisfying for me. All in all, it’s probably the most fun I’ve had in life, to be able to make things that I’m proud of and that will make others happy. It’s been my passion since I was a little girl, and I’m so glad that I have finally found my niche’.
To contact Monika Lee, email her at monintee@gmail.com
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