Bay Area Artisan Making Her Mark

May 31, 2011 - PRLog -- San Francisco Bay area artisans are fairly easy to come by. It is an area filled with painters, musicians, poets, writers, etc. But rare is the one who stands out from the rest. Rare is the one who can be called "A Master".

One such talent is Alba Urbina. Her work as both a Master Jeweler and Blacksmith have flown under the radar for nearly two decades. Until now. Her works are finally receiving the acclaim they deserve; her reach is spreading across the globe. At long last, Urbina is getting the attention she deserves.

A Colombian native, she moved to the U.S. with her mother and sister to build a better life. She enrolled in Parson's School of Design to study Graphic Arts (1981). While attending Parson's she also explored other creative interests in silk screening, photography, clothing and jewelry design. After graduating in 1984, she worked as a Graphic Artist while also pursuing her jewelry designs for fun and profit.

After moving to San Diego in 1984, she began studying the art of hat-making as yet another avenue for her creative spirit. Shortly thereafter, she began marketing her hats and jewelry at local street fairs and arts and crafts festivals. In 1992, she left the field of Graphic Arts to work full time as a milliner for a local hat shop. It wasn't long before her designs of both hats and jewelry were added to the shop's collection. Urbina continued her studies to include gold and silver fabrication, and stone setting. After two years of intense study, she was confident that her skill set was good enough to set out on her own.

Perhaps what makes Urbina Designs stand out from the rest is her apparent connection to the metals she works with. It seems as if there is a spiritual exchange of sorts. As if the metal speaks to her. As strange as this may sound, it is quite obvious that she does, indeed, feel its energy. She may be the modern-day epitome of an alchemist. It is this magical connection that seems to separate her pieces from all the rest. One can actually feel the energy of the artist when one is wearing a piece she has crafted. I know because I have worn her jewelry for as long as she's been crafting it. There has never been a time when I wasn't approached by some stranger who was compelled to walk over and touch the piece around my neck, on my wrist or fingers. It is as if they are drawn to the pieces by some unseen magnetic charge.

Since 2000, Alba Urbina has lived in Oakland, California, where she works as a full time metal artist and jewelery designer.  Her studio also houses her secondary business, Moxie Metal. She has been featured in various art magazines and been invited to some of the most prestigious exhibits in the Bay area. Her jewelry is available at Gallery of Jewels (a San Francisco artist's co-op) and retailers across the country from California to Austin, Texas, New York and Miami. Urbina also has a shop on Etsy, the world's largest site for hand-crafted arts.

For more information on Urbina Designs, visit  her site at: www.etsy.com/shop/urbinadesigns.

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Author/Writer engaged in sharing wisdoms, helping others share theirs, and promoting new authors in their endeavors. No dream is impossible. If it were, you wouldn't have it to begin with. Joy is a CHOICE.