VanDerZee is a line of jewelry that incorporates unexpected combinations of natural materials to create wearable art that is unique and special, like the ones who wear it. Each piece is handcrafted by Kirstin Israel in her home studio in a small town along the St. Lawrence River in Ontario, Canada.

 

Her creativity is governed by ways to reuse and reclaim things that others may have overlooked, drawing inspiration from the raw beauty of nature. She creates transcendence of harsh, discarded and natural materials into objects of whimsy. Each piece is created with a balance of mixed materials, such as fine & exotic hardwoods, base & precious metals, rich leathers, precious and semi-precious stones and crystals, varying types of natural plant fibres. Kirstin strives to make each and every component handmade. 

 

After spending years in waste management & the resource recovery industry, Kirstin went on to study Carpentry and Metalsmithing techniques. It was then she was rekindled with her passion for making. Always finding herself in the face of discarded and unused items and materials, she was determined to find a way to showcase them in a different light. 

 

Each piece is intended to withstand the unknowns of the everyday wear and handcrafted to last. The VanDerZee jewelry line is always evolving and broadening to incorporate new materials and techniques. All additional materials are sourced ethically, locally and globally through lush regions in which they are generated. She makes a great effort to source sustainable materials from Canada.