In her 20s, as a single mom, Laurel Burch began making metal from junkyards into jewelry. She loved many types of designs including cats, mythical animals, colorful flowers, moons, hearts, and people, just to name a few. Laurel Burch designed paintings and had the designs made into earrings.
On her website, she described herself like this: “I live within the vivid colors of my imagination ... soaring with rainbow feathered birds, racing the desert winds on horseback, wrapped in ancient tribal jewels, dancing with mythical tigers in steamy jungles.”
Having never taken an art class, she discovered cloisonné work from a visit to China in 1971. Cloisonné is the technique of taking large areas of enamel and dividing them into specific areas of brightly colored enamel. She began Laurel Burch Inc. in 1979.
Laurel Burch passed away on Sept. 13, 2007 in her home in Novato, CA. from a bone disease called osteopetrosis in which she had over 100 bone fractures. In spite of her illness, she was an amazing artist and continued working and creating her art as she battled fractures within her body. She died at age 61.
In addition to loving her artwork, Laurel Burch must be admired greatly for working through her pain to give the world so much joy!
