Thistle Hill Creations has been a dream in the making for more than twenty five years. I have been inspired by my family's heritage.
My grandparents were off the boat from Scotland). We were all brought up to embrace the culture and heritage which was very important to my father.
We attended many Celtic Festivals and Scottish Games. The Thistle Hill Jewelry line started with one piece that I first designed in my casting class as an
undergraduate. I start with a sketch, make a large version (slide) then create a smaller earring size for post or dangle. Ultimately that earring size will be a small
pendant and even a bracelet link. Other designs are approached as being for a brooch or kilt pin. Celtic designs have an ancient heritage, but most of the
designs on this site are original or are old designs re-worked for contemporary artistic use. I have tried to infuse my own style into each one of these traditionally
inspired knots.
The work shown here is not an imitation of historical Celtic Art but rather an affirmation that new and original creations are authentic continuations of that artistic
heritage(a modern interpretation of the beauty and complexity in design achieved by the ancient Celts)
I have recently purchased equipment to set up my own studio in my home. When you order an item from Thistle Hill Jewelry, I make each piece to order and
hand finish; so there will be a couple of weeks turn around. You will have the pleasure of knowing that these pieces were made in the USA, not mass produced
in a foreign country.
Copyright and Originality
The work illustrated on these pages represent the creative effort of Leslie A Jamieson as well as a few reproductions and applications of vintage designs. With
the exceptions of several of the simplest knots, none of these designs should be considered public domain. It is commonly and wrongly supposed that all Celtic
designs are ancient and therefore free from copyright restrictions. The truth is that new, traditionally correct designs often look as if they could be very old, but
they are nonetheless intellectual property of the artist. Use of copyright designs by anyone other than the artist requires permission in the case of personal use
or a licensing agreement in the case of commercial use. All rights reserved.
I was born in upstate New York with my twin sister, Heather. We made history being the very first twins born by cesarean section at that hospital. We were
welcomed home by two older brothers. My parents were the most wonderful talented and hard working people I have ever known. We were brought up on a self
sustaining farm where we raised our own animals for food and grew a garden with everything you could think of. My mother would make the bread and other
baked goods, butter, pickles, preserves, and even our own ice cream between having four children and modeling in New York City for ten years .When my
father would return from his construction job he spent all off his free time attending to farm chores and building our beautiful home on eleven acres between
the Berkshire and the Catskill Mountains in the scenic Hudson River valley.
In my formative years I spent my time between athletics (every sport I could fit in), art, sewing, crafts, Scouting, 4-H, and chores around our house and farm.
After graduating high school, I attended a SUNY college, majoring in Art Education.In inter-collegiate sports I lettered in Gymnastics, Track & Field, Diving as
well as participating in many intramural sports. When I took my first metal smithing class as an undergraduate in 1976, I was hooked.
I graduated with my B.S. in Art Ed and returned to graduate school for my Masters Degree in Fine Arts in Gold and Silver smithing. For my master's thesis I
completed a two year hollow-ware project in which I created a Sterling Silver Tea set with Rosewood handles and tray. The first piece (of four) was the tea pot
done in my senior year (undergrad), which I entered in a National Sterling Silver competition. It was selected in the top two hundred entries to appear in a show
at the Leverhouse Gallery on Park Ave in Manhattan.
For the next twenty years or so my life took a lot of turns (marriage, divorce, a short modeling career following my mothers footsteps, working in the restaurant
business, teaching, etc.)and none of them included what I really wanted to do; make jewelry. In the year 2003, I finally got a job in the jewelry business on
beautiful Sanibel Island, Florida. With the help of my employer, at Sanibel Goldsmith, who let me use the equipment in his shop on my time off, I was off and
running. I started sketching and carving waxes with abandon. And now my sketches stretch over forty pages with over one hundred and fifty pieces in my Thistle
Hill line (and I'm designing more every day). I spent the next two years designing a line of jewelry, creating a new twist on ancient designs.
I have honed my wax carving skills and now create all of the store's special orders that involve making an original wax as well as working with fused glass and
24K gold. My job at Sanibel Goldsmith has been helpful in gaining more experience in the jewelry industry and retail sales as well.
To All:
I am pleased and excited to announce the launch of my web site! It has been a real learning process and has taken more than two years of hard work
designing, creating, and producing my prototypes. I have had help from so many people to get me to this point; friends, family, boss, coworkers, professionals,
you know who you are. I must thank all of you!!!! And I thank all who have patiently waited for this day to come; giving me support and encouragement by
showing interest in my Art.
