Naturally Cast by Chris: About Naturally Cast

My name is Chris Joss and I live in Lexington, North Carolina.

After taking jewelry making classes at the Sawtooth Center in Winston-Salem and experimenting with various techniques, I've developed methods which incorporate decidedly "low-tech" casting methods while resulting in "high-style" jewelry.

I purchase and use only natural gemstones.

After I've created numerous castings, I'll study them and the many gems that I keep on hand, and wait for inspiration as to what brings out the best in both: The end result is truly greater than the sum of the components.

Making jewelry started as a small hobby and has steadily grown. My wife, Kristin, still advises "Don't quit your day job." The "day job" portion is really correct since most of my jewelry work takes place in the evening or on the weekends. By day, after 20+ years in Quality Assurance, I'm now director of regulatory oversight for a major consumer products company.

In addition to my training at the Sawtooth Center, I have studied at the John C. Campbell Folk Art School. I have a degree in engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and an MBA from Wake Forest University. I am also a Certified Quality Engineer by the American Society for Quality.

I try to reflect my passion for quality in the jewelry that I produce.