Chris Wallace- Jewelry
Chris Wallace
Why I . . .. . “LOVE JEWELRY”,
Chris Wirkkala Wallace, Jewelry Artist
I have had a lifelong love affair with jewelry. As a child, I remember waiting for the county fair each summer so I could “win” a heart-shaped necklace on which my name would be “engraved.” Jewelry has always been on my Christmas list for as long as I can remember, so I suppose it’s only natural that I would choose jewelry as my art of choice. When my children were raised, and when I no longer worked full-time, I took my first class at Bead Bugz in Longview, WA. I was hooked.
I mostly make what I describe as fashion jewelry because it’s affordable to anyone. I use a wide variety of materials, including natural stones, shells, rocks, vintage beads and pins, buttons, leather, antler tips and slices, found items and any sort of glass beads. I string, wire wrap, bend and twist, and do a lot of improvising. Seldom do I have more than one of the same design for sale at any time in my inventory of several hundred pieces.
I satisfy my need for being creative, and I hope to have something to appeal to everyone, by the variety of jewelry I create. I’ve often been told by those who wear my jewelry that people ask them “WHERE did you get that” because it is so unique.
Like all artists, my work has evolved. Currently, my favorites involve using pearls—there are so many colors and shapes—both in classic, timeless designs and in new, simple, modern ways and anything involving shaping wire, especially earrings.
I have been a member of The Artisan Guild of Mt St Helens since 2013. Our Guild holds a group event at the Visitor Center for Mt St Helens every summer for a month to six weeks where I love meeting locals and tourists from all over the world while sharing my art. I was a guest artist at The Broadway Gallery in 2017, having attended their First Thursday events for years. Work and family commitments finally allowed me to join in 2025.
You’ll find my work at Bay Avenue Gallery in Ocean Park, Washington, at Broadway Gallery in Longview, Washington, and artisan shows in the local area.
Turquoise Drop Necklace
Silver and Pearl Necklace
Shells and Glass Beads Necklace
Turquoise and Silver two-string bracelet