Artist Statement | The Process

Profile

Born in the Central Valley of California, Billie left home at the age of 16. The year was 1971 and the Vietnam War was going on. There was much to experience first hand. With naïve bravado and a streak of independence, she moved from San Francisco to Hawaii, and then to New York in 1981.

Her first job was in advertising, where she worked for the next seven years. Then in1987, Billie was infected with a creative nudge when the agency lost its largest account. Encouraged to explore new opportunities outside of the corporate world, she became free to pursue her early love of photography. She soon found work shooting book covers and portraits for magazines, as well as the random nude. To this day, she still has a passion for art photography.

Her love of the visual arts led Billie to styling fashion shoots for clients and colleagues, and when a friend was doing his first television pilot, she was asked to do the costume design. Ultimately, it was her work as a costume designer and her fascination with the nature of accessories that led her to jewelry and goldsmithing.

In 1995, Billie took the next step and dedicated herself full-time to studying Byzantine and Etruscan Goldsmithing and Lapidary. After gaining instruction from Masters such as Cecelia Bauer and Lew Wackler, she has invested the last five years learning Chasing and Repousse with Master Valentin Yotkov. Billie continues to study and perfect new techniques, taking workshops from the generous masters and artists in the metalsmithing community, while creating new works year round.