A fascination with rocks, shells and metal led Joyce Carol Watanabe to learn jewelry making. When an auntie taught her pearl knotting, she continued taking metalwork classes at Long Beach Community College, Venice Community Adult School, and Torrance Cultural Arts Center.
At the Culver City Rocks and Minerals Club workshop volunteers taught her lapidary to cut and polish stones, and incorporating soldering, fusing and casting techniques, she creates unique handcrafted jewelry. She is always experimenting with various materials to complement her rocks and shells, which include raku-fired ceramics, flame lampwork dichroic beads, and fused dichroic glass. The hallmark of Watanabe’s work is originality and excellent craftsmanship along with a fine sense of design.
Joyce Carol has been a member of The Artists’ Studio of Palos Verdes, a co-op artists group of Palos Verdes Art Center since 2014 and frequently displays her work at local shows and galleries. You may also find her on Etsy.
Recent awards include
- 2018 Invitation to Exhibit, Fine Jewelry, Palos Verdes Art Center “The Winter Show”, a juried exhibition of PVAC Members
- 2018 Honorable Mention, A Celebration of Art, The Artists’ Studio of Palos Verdes, Lexus of Torrance Art Gallery
- 2018 Third Place in Fine Jewelry, Catalina Festival of Arts
- 2017 Third Place in Fine Jewelry, Catalina Festival of Arts
- 2016 Third Place in Fine Jewelry, Catalina Festival of Arts