Bessie Jamieson originally majored in music at Vassar but later moved to New York to pursue her passion for jewelry making at the Brooklyn Museum of Art School and the Craft Student League. Classical techniques captivated Jamieson and she developed a deep appreciation for the craft of goldsmithing. She honed her skills in chain-making, lapidary techniques, and gold granulation with an apprenticeship under Robert Kulicke and Jean Stark at the Kulicke-Stark Academy. Her time at the academy was so successful that she went on to teach there until 1987 before founding the Jewelry Arts Institute which she directed from 1987-2009. The institute focuses on educating emerging jewelers on classical techniques, so that they continue from one generation to the next. Every piece Jamieson creates is purely hand-made and she takes special pride in showcasing intricate techniques, such as the current necklace’s gold Hercules knots.
