About Me
Kevin Mark Designs has been in business since 2003 creating torch fired glass and silver art. If you need to contact me directly for items that may or may not be pictured, please message me at:
THANK YOU!
About Me
Throughout this site, you will be able to see bits and pieces of sterling and glass work that I have created over the years. Most of the designs that I have created have come from experimentation and not from workshops, books or instruction.
When I was 13, I loved collecting beads and stringing them together into various designs. As I grew older, I was always interested in art, especially glass-art, but was always busy with classes (CSU Stanislaus where I graduated with a Liberal Arts BA & Exercise Science BA). Upon graduation, I taught 5th grade and also High School Chemistry/Physics for a couple of years until I decided to become a flight attendant with Southwest Airlines.
While flying, I had extra days off which enabled me to start teaching myself the art of lampwork glass(I did read a lampwork starters book on the craft and materials needed). It was not long before I was selling my pieces to the flight attendants that I worked with and selling in local art shows.
As quickly as it started, I found myself selling pieces to the Renwick Museum Shop at the Smithsonian and the Art Institute of Chicago(please see museum & galleries).
Each piece is created from Murano glass, imported from Italy and hand-sculpted on a torch using unconventional methods to create a wearable piece of art. As distinctive as the glass, is my hand-crafted sterling. Every piece of silver is hand-formed, soldered, ground, polished and stamped with my initials 'KMS' for authenticity.
In 2006, I received a U.S. patent on my handcrafted clasp so that no other piece of jewelry has this exclusive design.
For an extensive look at the creation of my torch-fired glass, please visit the handcrafted process part of this site. To see the labor intensive steps involved in creating my sterling pieces, please view the sterling process of this site.
I keep active with many different projects along with creating my hand-made designs.
One project that I am very passionate about is my Gibson guitar collection. I have played the guitar for over 20 years as well as collected Gibson pieces that were made prior to World War II.
The following site www.gibson-prewar.com will give you a glimpse into the past history and a brief education of classic Gibson guitars.
One last hobby that I am quite passionate about besides my glass and silver work are animals. The photo to the left captures two wild parrots 'Cherry Heads', that live in a flock here in San Francisco.
I have photographed these birds for years and am always happy to see them flying overhead.
I also like to take care of critters in need, such as pigeons. Although not fondly looked at by many, I do my part in helping them. Lots of pigeons in SF get their feet entangled in fishing line, which if the line gets too tight, it will cause them to critically damage their feet. If I am able, I will cut the fishing line loose and give them a hand.
One other thing I try to do is help out animal charities. There are lots of great organizations out there, but here are some that I dearly love: blindcatrescue.com, ironwoodpigsanctuary.org, stanislauswildlife.org and alleycat.org.
Well, that is a little bit about me. I would love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments about my jewelry. Please, feel free to contact me if you need anything!