“Without color, there’s no joy,” says Aurora-based jewelry designer Rhoda Johnson. She selects unusual stones and beads from around the world for her exotic necklaces, bracelets and earrings,
The back story: Johnson, 44, moved to the Denver area from Indianapolis with her family as a teen. She knew she wanted a creative career, so she studied fashion merchandising at Brooks College in Los Angeles and received a degree in 1981. Johnson began her career as a makeup artist for fashion shows but never quite adjusted to the glitzy L.A. lifestyle. “I felt like I was this country girl trying to be something I’m not,” she says.
Johnson moved back to Denver. She worked as an image consultant before spending eight years as a makeup artist for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent at Saks Fifth Avenue. Along the way, she developed her personal style and began making jewelry for herself as a way to further express her individuality.
The company: Johnson wore one of her designs to work, where a cosmetics customer loved the piece and offered to buy it. Soon Johnson was selling her jewelry to friends and acquaintances, and in 2002 she decided to start her own business. She works out of her home, building inventory to expand her retail presence in local galleries and boutiques. So far, her biggest challenge is simply keeping up with demand. Because she buys her stones from a handful of trusted importers who travel the globe, she never knows what materials she’ll be working with next.
Her inspiration: “I have a love affair with two different cultures: the Asian culture and the African culture,” she says. Her heritage is a mix of African-American, Irish, and American Indian, which is reflected in many of her designs. She often combines beads and stones from varied sources. “I’m really interested in diversity and being around different cultures,” she says.
One necklace highlights the colors and textures of amber beads from Africa, Asia, and eastern Europe, while another combines pale green jade from China with darker green jade from Africa. Sometimes she is simply inspired by the colors of the stones; a delicate necklace made with pale blue iolite and lavender amethyst stones recalled a sunset.
Her customer: “I don’t design for a particular age group, but it’s definitely a certain mind-set,” says Johnson of her customers, who are mainly mature, self-assured women in their 40s and 50s. “It takes confidence to carry off something bold,” she adds. “My designs are for a woman who has a strong sense of self.” Johnson encourages customers to select items based on more than just color or size; she hopes her customers will connect with the individual stones and the entire piece.
What it costs: Chunky red coral choker with African brass beads, $400; jade necklace with smoked jade pendant, $450; multiple-strand amber necklace, $400; Chinese coin and African brass bead earrings, $50.
Where to find it: Art and Framing at Stapleton, 7493 E. 29th Place, 303-534-1979, or direct orders to Rhoda Designs at 303-338-8395.
