Resident Goldsmiths

The teachers at Jewelry Arts Institute are master goldsmiths who excel in imparting their knowledge and experience to the students.

Ellen Baumritter- Instructor

A graduate of the Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City, Ellen S. Baumritter won several awards for her designs in mens and womenswear.  Ellen began studying jewelry making in 1971. She has studied at the Jewelry Arts Institute, the Craft Students League with Juan Pliego, The Jewellery Workshop with Joe English,  Fashion Institute of Technology, and with Fred de Vos, the highly regarded Dutch-born jewelry model-maker.  Ellen likes to use antiques in her work, such as ancient trading beads, and other found objects combined with twenty-two karat gold, thereby creating architectural works with an ancient feel.  Her work has been written up in NEW YORK Magazine, TIME OUT/NY, and SHOP NY JEWELRY. Ellen currently shows her work at Pritam and Eames in East Hampton, New York.

Jeanette Caines- Instructor

Jeanette Caines began as a student at JAI 20 years ago. Jewelry became her singular passion and she hasn't stopped exploring it yet.  Jeanette currently runs JAI with her partner and JAI's owner, Maria Markowitz.  She lets her jewelry speak for itself.

Michael Ellis-Instructor
Michael Ellis has been making jewelry since 1994 and has been a teacher at Jewelry Arts since 2001. He is an expert in many facets of jewelry making -including enameling and tool making- drawing on his extensive reading and research into historical methods.

Gavin Fisher-Wax Instructor

Daphne Milne Groos- Instructor

Daphne Groos has been an instructor at Jewelry Arts for more than 18 years. Her specialty has been creating works in metal,  pieces that turn, spin, and swivel sometimes hidden moving parts that reveal precious gems.

Her work is founded on the principles of classical jewelry-making; and her jewelry was influenced by techniques she learned at Jewelry Arts from the late Louise Parrish, one of Robert Kulicke's apprentices. influenced by techniques she learned from the late Louise Parrish at Jewelry Arts Institute. Her hinged ring with black diamonds is featured on the cover of the book, 500 Wedding Rings, Celebrating a Classic Symbol of Commitment, by Lark Books.

Betsy Lawson-Instructor

Betsy Lawson has been an instructor at Jewelry Arts (and the Kulicke-Stark Academy before that) since 1985. Betsy’s interest in ancient jewelry began when she became intrigued with cloisonné enameling which led her to begin her studies at the Kulicke–Stark Academy in 1979. She also worked closely with the late Louise Parrish. Her interest in history with an emphasis on the Medieval- Byzantine period, Romanesque, Gothic and Quattrocentro art gives Betsy a rich understanding of the historical significance of the work taught at Jewelry Arts.

Terrie Ly - Instructor

Terrie Ly has been an instructor at Jewelry Arts since 2004, after completing the apprenticeship program.  Terrie began her career as a jewelry designer in 1988. Her work has been featured in Lucky Magazine, Family Circle and The Denver Post.

Renée Tricarico- Instructor

Renée Tricarico began studying at Jewelry Arts in 1995, as an apprentice, and soon after began her tenure as an instructor. Renée’s background in fine arts and her extensive travels in Europe, Asia and the Middle East provide her with inspiration for her own jewelry line which include both wax carving and hand wrought techniques.

Sami Zeira- Instructor

Sami Zeira has been teaching at Jewelry Arts for the past 12 years. He is also a renowned jewelry designer who creates 22-karat gold and diamond jewelry. His signature pieces comprise a contemporary line of jewelry in which he applies the ancient technique of granulation influenced by the Classical Period.  Sami trained at Jewelry Arts and also studied with the highly regarded Dutch-born jewelry model maker Fred de Vos. Sami developed his own alloy for white gold that enables him to granulate. The combination has produced dramatic pieces featuring a striking color contrast in the yellow-on-white gold jewelry.

Bessie Jamieson- Consultant

Ms. Jamieson, who apprenticed under Robert Kulicke, co-founder of the Kulicke-Stark Academy, has been teaching and producing classically inspired jewelry for 30 years. Ms. Jamieson has been the president/director of the Jewelry Arts Institute - the direct descendent of Kulicke-Stark from 1987 until May 2009. She is represented by the Davis and Langdale Gallery in New York City, and has had an annual show there since 1979. She continues as a consultant to Jewelry Arts Institute.

Valerie Blum- Instructor

Valerie apprenticed at the Jewelry Arts Institute, and has studied jewelry-making at both JAI and FIT for approximately five
years. Her primary area of interest is enameling, especially the plique a jour technique. In her work, she combines metalwork, enamel
and stones to create original pieces based on traditional methods of craftsmanship and a modern design sensibility.

Vonya Galunic-Apprentice

Alyson Arnold- Apprentice