Karen Housley turns clay into silver. The Juneau jewelry designer uses precious metal clays, developed in Japan, that are pure silver powder mixed with organic binders and water. When the clay is fired, the organic binders and water burn away, leaving her art in pure silver. "I can do so much more that is too difficult to do with sheet silver," she says. "The clay is pliable and moldable, so the potential is virtually unlimited."

Although she uses many traditional gemstones, Austrian crystals, and freshwater pearls, Housley said she enjoys the creative challenge of working with new materials. She also works with fused dichroic glass, an exciting new medium that she fires in her Juneau studio along with the clay. "It's sparkly and color changing. It's pretty fascinating in itself," she says of the two-toned, high-tech spin-off of the space industry.

The Juneau artist began a life-long interest in creating wearable art as a child in her grandparents' Oregon agate shop. When visiting them, she would spend her time assembling jewelry from their huge inventory of findings, cabochons, and beads. After 17 years of teaching in Juneau schools, she now works on her art full time.

Housley's creations are available at the Juneau Artists Gallery.