North Shore Artists Betsy Meyers-Green Shines at the Jazz Fest

Betsy Meyers-Green has displayed and sold her unique one -of-a-kind jewelry at Jazz Fest since 1988. She is one of the twelve other north shore artist who will showcase at this year’s Jazz Fest.

Ever since Betsy could remember she loved making art in some way or form. When she was four years old she would take scraps of fabric from her mom and make clothes for her dolls.

“She would make our Halloween costumes and all that,” she said. “I would sit next to her … and make clothes for my dolls. I just liked making, and I liked putting things together.”

After graduating from high school, she went to Parsons School of Design in New York City. Originally wanting to go into fashion design which did not pan out, she then turned to graphic design. Her second year in college she moved home to Detroit and attended Center for Creative Studies in Detroit where her vision as a jewelry artist began.

“The transition from graphic design in New York City to advertising in Detroit was ‘Let’s render a hubcap so it looks like a photograph’. It was so boring, and I hated it,” said Meyers-Green, who then took a jewelry class at the urging of a friend.

“At first I was really nervous and really afraid because it’s metal and a hard surface, but that was the beginning of the change. I switched my major, and got a bachelor of fine arts in metalsmithing and jewelry in 1975, and I have been doing it ever since,” she added.

Her inspiration comes “in different ways and different shapes. Sometimes I like minimal clean lines and forms,” she said.

She loves to add dimension to her pieces. One way she achieves this look is using an old Korean technique where 24-karat gold is melted onto silver. On these creations, she loves to add vibrant stones.

“I use a lot of stones, because people like color. And I love putting the color in through the stones,” she said.

A true inspiration in the community, Betsy is the vice president of RHINO Contemporary Crafts Co. in New Orleans. The company, established in 1984, helps create a public interest in the local arts in Louisiana. Betsy’ jewelry is sold here as well as many other New Orleans galleries.

For her, exhibiting at the music festival is a unique experience. “It’s unlike any show that I’ve ever done or will ever do,” Meyers-Green said. “The excitement, the magnetism, the music, the food. Everybody’s happy, having fun. It’s great.”

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