Ferndale Bead Artist: Jennifer Vermeersch

By Rose Carver

One artist in Ferndale lives to adorn others with her love of jewelry design

JENNIFER VERMEERSCH CAN’T REMEMBER A TIME when she wasn’t making jewelry. She has always collected stones and, being raised by artist parents, her art of choice was born out of a desire to make beautiful things to adorn people.

Vermeersch has a multitude of skills to create her works of art. She is a seasoned metal-smither, a glass bead artist, and a master collector and assembler of beads.

“I specialize in adorning people with jewelry and however I can make it happen with my vision.”

Vermeersch loves puzzles, and when she puts together a piece she feels as though she is using the beads to put together a finished product. “When I was young I lived on a lake, and to keep myself entertained I collected stones and rocks,” Vermeersch said. “I don’t think I ever had a choice [whether to be this type of artist or not].” Her pieces are bold, and have a classically vintage aesthetic. They are intricately fashioned, with colored beads, and eccentric designs. One can easily tell the level of care Vermeersch puts into her one-of-a-kind creations.

Vermeersch has been living in Ferndale for 20 years, and she currently has two children and works at a bead store, Munro Craft Supply in Berkley, which fits her passion well.

Detroit Historical Museum has some of her jewelry hanging on their walls, and she has been featured in fashion magazines, but she said that what fulfills her is the feeling of joy she is able to give someone else when she ornaments with her beaded art pieces.

Vermeersch says her jewelry provides things for the customer that you just cannot find at the run-of-the-mill jewelry store. She makes specialized pieces, and her work runs off of her sincere passion.

“[With my work] You get the authenticity, the story behind the piece, where the beads came from, and, of course, the artist behind the piece.”

To find out more about Vermeersch’s work, visit her Facebook at:  facebook.com/jennifervermeerschjewelry.