Julie Sanford is an award-winning jewelry designer creating and exhibiting work for over 30 years. Her education includes a BA in Art Education from Western Michigan University, studies at The Kalamazoo institute of Arts, Oxbow Summer Academy of the Chicago Institute of Arts, Kendall College of Art and Design and The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco.

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Julie’s teaching experience includes teaching visual art with an emphasis on curriculum integration, art history, ceramics and jewelry. Julie has extensive experience leading jewelry related classes, workshops and demonstrations at national trade shows and conferences, technical schools, universities, private studios and has been a featured guest on the PBS television show Beads, Baubles and Jewels.

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Some of Julie’s most recent or notable honors include: Jurors Choice Award Grand Haven Festival of Arts 2019, Featured Maker/Instructor of the Year Halstead Inc. 2019, Grand Prize Winner of the live Project Embellish- Jewelry Design Challenge  2018, Finalist in the inaugural Halstead Kinetic Design Challenge for the Society of North American Goldsmiths, Art Jewelry Magazine Design Challenge Winner, July 2013, Grand Prize Winner of the Rio Grande and Lark Books Jewelry Design Challenge 2011 and Finalist in the Design Challenge For Metal Clay Artists Magazine 2010

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Along with a successful jewelry design business Julie is also the director of Studio JSD- Jewelry Makerspace and Gallery in Grand Haven Michigan, and serves as Vice President of The Michigan Silversmiths Guild.  Julie and her work are often featured in books, articles, trade magazines, news media and special gallery exhibits.

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Julie’s experience in metal clay began in 1998 with Tim McCreight’s original VHS tape tutorial and she received PMC Rio Rewards certification with J. Fred Woell in 2007. Julie specializes in combining sintered metal clay components with traditional bench fabrication techniques to create multidimensional compositions in metal jewelry.