Meet a Local Artist
07/24/2024 07:00AM ● By Ski Town Media Staff
(Photo: Local artist Tibby Speare works in her studio, handcrafting jewelry from metal, stones and gems. Courtesy of Tibby Speare.)
Steamboat Springs, CO - Tibby Speare has been creating art since elementary school but it wasn’t until college that she fell in love with jewelry making and Turquoise. “That’s still my favorite stone,” she says. “All the flavors and energy around it, but mainly just the color itself sings to me.”
About 15 years ago, Tibby began creating designs, utilizing different materials and took several classes with professional metalsmiths in order to hone her skills. “Part of what excites me is starting from absolute scratch,” she says. “Taking a piece of silver or gold sheet or wire and wondering what’s going to happen with it. You don’t always know. You can plan all you want but when you get the material in your hands, it often has a life of its own.”
Based in Steamboat since 1993, “Tibbyjewelry” is available at Pine Moon Fine Art. Thanks to a connection with a gemologist, Tibby can find anything her clients ask for, creating custom pieces typically made with high quality gems, soft angles and curves, in Sterling silver and 14 and 18 karat gold.
“Jewelry is so intimate; it’s on your body,” she points out. “You either want it to express something personal or you need it to feel something, like buoying or anchoring your spirit. My hope is that whatever I make will find its way to someone who wants it or needs it or loves it. If you’re drawn to a piece, that’s what you need, and that’s the magic which will facilitate what you’re seeking in your life.”
Steamboat Springs, CO - Tibby Speare has been creating art since elementary school but it wasn’t until college that she fell in love with jewelry making and Turquoise. “That’s still my favorite stone,” she says. “All the flavors and energy around it, but mainly just the color itself sings to me.”
About 15 years ago, Tibby began creating designs, utilizing different materials and took several classes with professional metalsmiths in order to hone her skills. “Part of what excites me is starting from absolute scratch,” she says. “Taking a piece of silver or gold sheet or wire and wondering what’s going to happen with it. You don’t always know. You can plan all you want but when you get the material in your hands, it often has a life of its own.”
Based in Steamboat since 1993, “Tibbyjewelry” is available at Pine Moon Fine Art. Thanks to a connection with a gemologist, Tibby can find anything her clients ask for, creating custom pieces typically made with high quality gems, soft angles and curves, in Sterling silver and 14 and 18 karat gold.
“Jewelry is so intimate; it’s on your body,” she points out. “You either want it to express something personal or you need it to feel something, like buoying or anchoring your spirit. My hope is that whatever I make will find its way to someone who wants it or needs it or loves it. If you’re drawn to a piece, that’s what you need, and that’s the magic which will facilitate what you’re seeking in your life.”