My Story…

I, Siri moved from Sweden to California in the early 1980’s. Upon receiving my B.F.A. from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, I met my husband Mark on a blind date and we relocated to one of the beach communities in sunny San Diego. Here, I run my metalsmith studio, and siriousdesign, a small shop focused on designing, creating, and selling hand crafted jewelry online and in person.

I’m known for innovative and unique designs that draw from my nature loving outdoorsy Nordic heritage, architecture, travel, fashion, and design.  

After graduation, I spent two decades working as a graphic designer. I eventually fell in love with the craftsmanship and old world jewelry fabrication techniques still kept alive in jewelry making.

I design modern jewelry using traditional silversmith techniques (wax carving for lost wax casting, sawing, filing, hammering, soldering, polishing, engraving etc.). I love dreaming up designs and working with my hands to bring my ideas to life. Over the years I've enjoyed working with various mediums, but nothing has felt quite as satisfying as working with precious metals.

I love unique and modern statement jewelry with clean lines and unexpected textures. One of my favorite techniques is using my graphic design skills as a translation tool between a simple sketch and the hand fabrication of a unique piece of jewelry.

In a world obsessed with perfection, driven by mass consumption and fueled by over production, I’m proud to stand out. Each of my pieces is handcrafted with love, made from sustainable materials and left to show its individuality. It’s the subtle imperfections that make each and every piece I create so individual and so perfect – just like the women and men who wear them.

For an in-depth interview, read more about my sometimes curvy, but always design based path toward jewelry making here: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-siri-johansson/

“My hope is to make pieces of art that you will love to wear over and over for years to come.”

My Vision

I want you to browse and enjoy my jewelry, which has taken on such a meaningful aspect of my life. As a jewelry artist, one of my greatest interests is to make jewelry items out of metal such as silver and gold. As you explore the siriousdesign.com site and you visit each of my jewelry pieces, I hope to inspire you to inquire about a jewelry piece you need made, or you you may simply wonder, what exactly is involved in making jewelry from these metals?

As a jewelry artist, I use metals, stones, beads, and other materials to make objects for personal adornment. It can be earrings, rings, bracelets, or necklaces. Working with these precious metals, diamonds, and gemstones, I create wearable pieces of one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry.

My current work is almost all silver, or gold, and often stones of some sort. I love unexpected textures and freeform jewelry that evolves both from experimenting and using precision jewelry skills. Each piece is unique and uniquely designed by me. I embrace the concept of handmade imperfection, because handmade is more than just being made by a real person. When I craft things by hand, I invest my heart and soul into them.

Being a good metalworker is based on skill building:

Each thing you learn builds on what you have already learned. Once I find a technique I like, I may make 5 or 10 pieces using that technique to build a body of work with a logical progression. Eventually, I figure out where to go next.

To be a jewelry designer and metalsmith you need to be:

  • Interested in craft and design.

  • Interested in working with precious metals.

  • Good at working with your hands and take pleasure in practical work.

  • Able to solve practical problems effectively.

  • Good eye for detail.

  • Creative and artistic – the ability to draw is advantageous.

A good listener, communicator, and collaborator – I’m ready to receive ideas from a client and will work with you to translate your vision into a tangible piece of jewelry. This may also involve working with other craftspeople to complete a piece of work. 

Within my work I adhere to industry health and safety requirements; understand the safe storage, handling and disposal of harmful materials used in the workshop including the risks involved; I must also know how to safely operate and maintain my machines and tools and how to adequately process precious metals, their alloys and solders.

Designer-makers can either sell their pieces through a gallery or retail space, or they might decide to sell them directly to customers. As a self-employed metalsmith, I have decided to design and sell my pieces through this online website gallery and shop. My years in graphic design and online retail has helped me develop good business, finance, marketing and interpersonal skills, and I feel confident that I can work with you most effectively through this visual medium.