Q: We know that you grew up in Heilbronn, Germany on a vineyard. Did the seasons play an important role in your childhood memory landscape?

BH: Yes.  I experienced the seasons very intensely, because they were part of my family's livelihood. A frost too late or a hailstorm in the summer could wipe out an entire harvest. I am glad my workshop is now indoors, and not outdoors. But I appreciate having grown up on a farm. We were outdoors everyday. As a child I witnessed each stage of the miracle of growth in our garden and vineyard throughout the year. I know the smells, angle of sunlight and sounds of each season and what grows and ripens when. It is a very rich life, but we also learned to be very frugal. Nothing was ever wasted. Nature supplied so many things for our every day use and needs. I remember driving to woodland meadows every year just at the right time in the summer season to harvest certain wild grasses which we used to tie the branches of the vines in the vineyards down to the wires. I think this intense experience of the seasons throughout my childhood is a continuous and strong source of inspiration in my jewelry design.

Q: Nature plays a strong role in your work, how do the seasons affect your aesthetic now?

BH: I like to reflect the colors of the season in my jewelry. Winter is black and white and grey. I often find myself working with grey or black diamonds during that time of year or with labradorite. A summery piece is blue and green, reflective of spending time by the water. The jewelry of summer is more casual , lighter and less precious.In the Fall I like to work with deep browns, gold and warming colors, and in the spring I prefer light greens and yellows. I do this instinctively, but find that my customers appreciate the many colors and various seasonal feelings in my jewelry.

BH: I grew up surrounded by modern architecture and 20th century paintings. The transition in painting from depicting nature to becoming its own expression, involving the viewer's interpretation and thoughts as an integral part of the art process is extremely exciting to me. I love all of the phases of 20th century painting but relate best to abstract paintings as well as minimalism. I treasure classical music as well as jazz.

Q. Tell us about your first experiences of selling jewelry on the streets of your hometown. What kind of response did your jewelry draw from the passers by?

BH: I realized that it was very easy for me to create things that other people found interesting. Even though I was never a full blown hippie, selling my jewelry on a velvet cloth on the sidewalks in the 1960's and early 70's was fun and adventurous. When I pack up my jewelry today to go to a trade show I feel the gypsy in me come alive, and sometimes it feels like I have done this for more than one lifetime.

Q. You studied jewelry design in Germany and then came to the United States to pursue a Masters degree at RIT. What do you think about the Old World vs. the New World teaching approaches. Did you learn different techniques in the two different countries. And where did you find your creative voice?

BH: There are very different teaching styles in Germany and the United States. The education was very structured and technical in Germany and when it came to design we had to justify every shape we used and how and why it was used. We learned to be very analytical about our use of form color and composition and studied art history intensively. I still draw from my German studies every day. I also became a very good goldsmith there. In the US I was able to add a more personal touch to my work. I was allowed to put myself into the work more completely. For this I am very thankful because ultimately it makes the work stronger and more expressive. When I look at German jewelry today, I am less attracted to the intellectual planned approach taken there. But this is not to say that exciting jewelry is not made in Germany today. I think my work is a blend of my German training and my immersion in the American jewelry scene.

Q. Where do you find your inspiration for your work?

BH: I have a strong sense of visualization and I can run many design concepts trough my inner eye very fast before I start drawing. Anything can set off the creatice process for me -- a movie, a piece of clothing, a person I meet, a gemstone I see, music. There is almost nothing that does not trigger the creative process.

BH: I have wanted to work with the image of a blade of grass wrapped around a finger for a long time and am currently working on a series that uses this image. This is an exciting new ring collection, but it has evolved into what I call the spiral collection, a dynamic image for a new look we have been showing this fall.

Q. What is your favorite thing to do outside of designing jewelry?

BH: Being a mother to two great teenage kids -- watching them play sports and grow up. They are my toughest teachers at the same time, for which I am very grateful.

BH: Balance is the philosophy. I don't always succeed as my family and staff will tell you, but I give it my best every day. I feel very fortunate to have the richness of a wonderful family life, and my business with a great staff who is my second family. My husband and I both love the outdoors but don't always succeed in finding enough time to play and relax, but we certainly try!

Q. What kind of sports and outdoor activities do you and your husband enjoy together? What sports do your children play? Are either of them showing an interest in jewelry design?

BH: My husband and I like mountain hiking, skiing, camping and traveling. The kids love all of these activities but have taken their sports to another level. Our daughter, Tanya, will be a Division 1 volleyball player for the University of Delaware next year and our son, Timo, is a strong swimmer, pole vaulter, and soccer player. His absolute passion however is outdoor adventure, including rock-climbing, canoeing and hiking. This summer he went on a 540 mile wilderness canoe trip with a group of boys that took 25 days, near the Hudson Bay in Canada. Our daughter has ruled out coming into the business, but our son has not. He is 15 and still has lots of time to think about it.

BH: One favorite memory of Bhutan was hiking up to the Tiger's Nest (Taktsang) Monastery, which hangs on a huge granite cliff, 2400 feet above Paro Valley. It is a pilgrimage site for every Bhutanese to visit once in their lifetime.  We were able to enter most rooms where the monks were chanting and doing their work. It was very special! I felt very at home in the Tiger's Nest Monastery!. The view of the Paro valley was breathtaking. And the people like to laugh and make you laugh.

The Royal goldmithing shop in Thimphu was another very special place to visit. The goldsmiths sit on the dusty ground to work. No goldsmithing benches there.  They worked with pitch and chasing techniques.A lot of the work that was being done while we were there was in silver, that was later plated. We also visited many temples in Kathmandu, the most impressive of which was the Unesco world heritage sites of Patan Bhaktapur, a medieval village founded in the 9th century.

Thank you, Barbara, for taking the time to answer our questions!

Please visit Barbara's website and stop in on one of her many Trunk Shows across the country.

-CJDG Editorial