Erin Gonzalez- Hicks is a Chester Springs based jewelry artist and instructor, who has been creating “Hand-Wrought “ wire jewelry for the last 11 years.  A self- proclaimed “bohemian trapped in a corporate body”, she relishes the opportunity to create what she calls “bold, brave and indestructible jewelry”.

She is a contributing writer for Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine, and was just featured on the cover of the Spring 2006 issue.  Her work has been recently published in the new book titled,” Beadazzled : Where Beads and Inspiration Meet”.  Erin teaches nationally, and in 2006 has taught at Jewelry Arts Expo, and  is scheduled for  Wire Fest in Wilmington DE in July, as well as Bead Fest Philadelphia in October.  She also teaches at the award-winning Wayne bead shop, UBead2.

Erin, who is a “closet amateur anthropologist“, loves to study tribal cultures, their rituals and ornamentation, and take every opportunity to scour the globe  incognito as her alter-ego “Mate Hari”….. in search of special elements from unique peoples to incorporate into her work.  She feels that the joy of  personal adornment is in the creation of a treasured mandala that tells a story  about its contents.  Erin’s work is available via her web site : www.mateharidesigns.com.  She can be contacted directly at :  mateharidesigns@gmail.com.