Red Stem Studio

Drawing upon her art history training and informal background in applied arts, Anna creates a handmade jewelry line that is playful, stylish, and versatile. Her designs are inspired by Chinese ink painting-turned-technicolor and are created on recycled plastic. The hardware found on the jewelry is hand-crafted from recycled sterling silver.


How did you get started on Etsy/Making things?

I have always been a tinkerer.

I came across Etsy and knew that I had found a good thing. I knew that I wanted to sell on Etsy, but I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to sell. Before I knew what I was going to make I read all of the Etsy tutorials on setting up shop, creating a brand for yourself, how to market and that sort of thing.

I created Red Stem before I knew what Red Stem was going to sell.
I fell into jewelry naturally. My mother is a jeweler and entrepreneur herself, only she deals with precious stones and metals. She helps me create a business strategy, shows me where to get supplies, and counsels me daily.

What inspires your creations?

Supply-wise, I try to be as eco-conscious as I can. My works are created on recycled lucite and recycled sterling silver. All of my packing and display materials are recycled, reused, or both. It was very important to me that sustainability be part of the underpinnings of Red Stem.

Design-wise, I have a graduate degree in Chinese art history and draw my (current) inspiration from seventeenth century Chinese ink paintings of bamboo and flowers. I have always loved bright colors in unexpected combinations.