The official site for Andrea Rosenfeld, an innovative art force in Kinetic, Sculptural Jewelry, Andrea Rosenfeld, professional fine artist creates exclusive, luxury jewelry in New Jersey, New York. Andrea Rosenfeld is a division of Hot Rox Jewelry, LLC.
Flourite image courtesy House of the Divine Prince
I became interested in working with crystals when my medium began taking over my house. I was painting on large canvases and raising small children. I had run out of room and the paint was not safe with little hands around. I needed a more contained and less messy art form. Soon after I took a hiatus from painting, I enrolled in a metalworking class and was hired immediately by the local bead store. Learning about crystals and metal findings, wire and glass I found myself designing with abandon and then teaching my new jewelry designs to others. Flame and a scroll saw were added to my arsenal of tools and I continued to play with jewelry making. Then when a friend’s sister became ill with leukemia, I began studying the metaphysical properties of gemstones to help heal her and learned Reiki to properly attune my materials. Being an artist, a little bit of my soul enters every piece that I create and when I bring universal light into my work, I can infuse my artwork with my intent to heal, as well.
CRYSTALS
Crystals are all around us. We live on a planet made of minerals; a world of crystals. Minerals occur naturally in crystal structures and are composed of various elements. Crystals are solid materials in which the atoms are arranged in a regular pattern. The word crystal is based on the Greek word krystallos derived from kryos, meaning icy cold. Most crystals are naturally occurring; solid, inorganic, (not living,) materials called minerals. Some rocks such as pure marble, quartzite, and diamonds are made up of just one mineral, but most are made of two or more minerals.
Gemstones are minerals that are associated with perfection, transparency, and clarity. Many crystals fit these ideals but I prefer the crystals that do not. The stones, minerals or crystals that appeal most to me are opaque and carry stories or images in their matrix (the lines across and through them). A gemstone that has more than one color or hue will call to me. The shiny, translucent gems don’t speak to me although they have their place in my art work and are also VERY healing.
Surprisingly, most of our gem minerals are colorless in their pure state. Trace minerals find their way into the crystals as they form. These trace minerals lend color to the crystals. A good example is corundum. It is colorless in its pure state, but add a bit of iron and titanium and you have a blue sapphire. If, instead, you add a bit of chromium you have a red ruby! Another good example is the beryl family. Pure beryl is called goshenite. It is colorless and not very interesting. However, if you add a bit of iron, it turns blue and becomes aquamarine, or, instead of iron, you added a bit of chromium to the beryl, it becomes an emerald!
Gemstone Information
Flourite image courtesy House of the Divine Prince
I became interested in working with crystals when my medium began taking over my house. I was painting on large canvases and raising small children. I had run out of room and the paint was not safe with little hands around. I needed a more contained and less messy art form. Soon after I took a hiatus from painting, I enrolled in a metalworking class and was hired immediately by the local bead store. Learning about crystals and metal findings, wire and glass I found myself designing with abandon and then teaching my new jewelry designs to others. Flame and a scroll saw were added to my arsenal of tools and I continued to play with jewelry making. Then when a friend’s sister became ill with leukemia, I began studying the metaphysical properties of gemstones to help heal her and learned Reiki to properly attune my materials. Being an artist, a little bit of my soul enters every piece that I create and when I bring universal light into my work, I can infuse my artwork with my intent to heal, as well.
CRYSTALS
Crystals are all around us. We live on a planet made of minerals; a world of crystals. Minerals occur naturally in crystal structures and are composed of various elements. Crystals are solid materials in which the atoms are arranged in a regular pattern. The word crystal is based on the Greek word krystallos derived from kryos, meaning icy cold. Most crystals are naturally occurring; solid, inorganic, (not living,) materials called minerals. Some rocks such as pure marble, quartzite, and diamonds are made up of just one mineral, but most are made of two or more minerals.
Gemstones are minerals that are associated with perfection, transparency, and clarity. Many crystals fit these ideals but I prefer the crystals that do not. The stones, minerals or crystals that appeal most to me are opaque and carry stories or images in their matrix (the lines across and through them). A gemstone that has more than one color or hue will call to me. The shiny, translucent gems don’t speak to me although they have their place in my art work and are also VERY healing.
Surprisingly, most of our gem minerals are colorless in their pure state. Trace minerals find their way into the crystals as they form. These trace minerals lend color to the crystals. A good example is corundum. It is colorless in its pure state, but add a bit of iron and titanium and you have a blue sapphire. If, instead, you add a bit of chromium you have a red ruby! Another good example is the beryl family. Pure beryl is called goshenite. It is colorless and not very interesting. However, if you add a bit of iron, it turns blue and becomes aquamarine, or, instead of iron, you added a bit of chromium to the beryl, it becomes an emerald!