Doreen Garten

Keep it simple. In our designs, special attention is given to light, movement and the energy expressed in each pieces’ simple lines. We strive for each piece to tell a story.

Tarnish-resistant sterling silver – the sterling silver is alloyed with platinum instead of copper which creates a tarnish resistant piece of jewelry.

Mike – has a fascination of stones and the extraordinary expression each stone possesses. He carries the same passion when working, cutting and polishing, with stones.

Doreen – I find working with imperfect materials reveals an element of truth—an embrace of impermanence and imperfection that challenges the pursuit of flawlessness and instead honors the raw, unfiltered essence of creation. I seek out gemstones with natural flaws, drawn to the stories embedded in their fractures and inclusions. These are not imperfections to be hidden, but rather features to be celebrated.

In my metalwork, whether in sterling silver or gold, I often introduce purposeful irregularities. These marks, textures, and distortions are intentional gestures that invite the viewer to reconsider beauty as something that lives outside symmetry and polish.

My inspiration often comes from architecture, particularly the work of Mary Jane Colter, whose designs celebrate the harmony between structure and landscape, history and material. Like Colter, I am drawn to the raw honesty of natural materials and the way forms can echo the environment rather than dominate it. This influence emerges in the quiet strength and grounded presence of my jewelry.

Eco-Friendly Studio – in our effort to leave as little of a carbon footprint as possible, we are designing our studio to be green having installed solar tube lighting, recycle cotton clothing instead of using paper products, use vegetable-based polish in place of petroleum, etc…

Mike & Doreen Garten

MoonShadows Gallery, Weems Gallery, ArtScape Gallery, American Craft Council