Jessica Rutherford Designs
jessica rutherford – pittsburgh native. full-time artist. what a crazy and exciting way to earn a living.
rutherford sells jewelry and handmade beads directly and through galleries, works with kids in art education, and does public speaking.
after designing jewelry for over ten years, rutherford wanted a way to make her designs more unique. she began studying glass bead making seven years ago and incorporates handmade beads into many of her designs.
some exciting things through the years:
selected to make cufflinks for the G20 giftbags in 2009. the original order was for 65 pair. at the last minute, 22 more pair were ordered as gifts for the mayor and other local officials. the G20 cufflink design is available directly
through the artist or various shops in pittsburgh.
assisted the chihuly team to install and de-install the exhibition at phipps conservatory
.
working with a group of at-risk boys, rutherford and daviea davis completed pittsburgh’s first glass mosaic mural during a summer program in 2009. it is located on the side of 5224 penn ave in friendship.
actualized a glass fashion show, “adornments from africa,” in 2006 featuring seven models in african inspired glass jewelry and costuming.
for five weeks summer 2010 rutherford taught art to middle schoolers at peabody highschool during the summer dreamer’s academy, a pilot program that enrolled over 2400 city school students.
rutherford is a member of the craftsmen’s guild of pittsburgh and the three river’s glass beadmakers, a local chapter of the international society of glass beadmakers.
