Donna Chambers

Donna Chambers is an American jewelry designer based in White Plains, New York and known for designs featuring pearls and antique mother of pearl gambling chips. Chambers' fine jewelry has been carried by major department stores such as Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Na Hoku[1] and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.[2]

Donna Chambers
Born (1950-03-01) March 1, 1950
Ossining, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
EducationPratt Institute
Occupationjewelry designer, goldsmith
Years active1978-present
Websitedonnachambersdesigns.com

Life

For several summers and after school, textile designer Vera Neumann hired a teenage Chambers to separate colors for silk screen scarves. In 1968, Chambers received the first Vera Industries George Neumann Scholarship award and attended Pratt Industries to study fashion design.[3] Chambers also worked as an assistant to fashion designer Oleg Cassini.[4]

Career

Chambers married jeweler Irving Williams in 1976 and took over his Brooklyn jewelry repair business upon his death in 1978. Donna Chambers Designs was established in 1981 to create and manufacture 14-karat gold and cultured pearl fine jewelry.[5] Later a line of porcelain cameos featuring African American women were added as well as a line of antique mother-of-pearl Chinese gambling chips further enhanced with pearls.[6] The poker chips, which form the centerpieces of bracelets, earrings and pendants, date from the Ching Dynasty and typically bear family crests or initials on one side and a drawing engraved with some aspect of Chinese life on the other.[7] Chambers came across the poker chips by accident. "I'm known as the pearl lady....My work has always been of pearl, whether freshwater or cultured. I use a lot of mother of pearl, abalone, and mabes. I was in Tucson [about 1988]... and I did a double take," Chambers said, "I saw these mother-of-pearl, beautiful carved pieces...I picked up a few and made two or three pins with them." The positive reaction to the gambling chip jewelry was so strong that they have become her signature jewelry line.[8][9]

In 1990, Chambers opened That Old Black Magic Book and Gift Gallery, a Westchester, New York gift shop featuring African American gift items, art, greeting cards and books. The works of over 50 artists and designers were featured in the store.[10] A monthly book club sponsored by the shop featured readings by well-known authors, including Arthur Ashe, Nikki Giovanni, Bernice L. McFadden, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and Iyanla Vanzant.[11][12][13] The shop closed after 20 years.[14]

Awards
  • National Women's Jewelry Association Award for Manufacturing Excellence - 1992[15]

References
  1. "Donna Chambers". PRISM: American Gem Trade Association (Winter 2010): 12.
  2. Roberts, Karen (September 27, 2016). "N.Y. artist's precious jewelry in Smithsonian museum gift shop". USA TODAY. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. "Donna Chambers". PRISM: American Gem Trade Association (Winter 2010): 11.
  4. Howe, Bob (Spring 2002). "Pratt Alumnae: Hand Made". The Magazine of PRATT Institute: 14.
  5. Howe, Bob. "Pratt Institution: Hand Made". The Magazine of PRATT Institute (Spring 2002): 14.
  6. "N.Y. artist's precious jewelry in Smithsonian museum gift shop". USA TODAY. September 27, 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  7. Totty, Patrick. "Modern Jeweler: Product and Trends for Jewelry Retailers - Retailer Pearl Picks". www.modernjeweler.com (October 2008). Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  8. "Donna Chambers". Colored-Stone Magazine (March/April 2005).
  9. Wasserman, Sue. "In touch with studio artists: Donna Chambers". AmericanStyle Magazine (Winter 1998): 34.
  10. "Women's Jewelry Association Announces Six Recipients of its 1992 Awards of Excellence". JQ - International Jewelry Quorum: 34. May 1992.
  11. Howe, Bob. "Pratt Alumnae: Hand Made". The Magazine of PRATT Institute (Spring 2002): 14.
  12. Ames, Lynne (17 November 2002). "Staying Ahead of the Mainstream". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  13. Ames, Lynne (22 June 1997). "Specialty Shop Offers a Reading Round Table of Black Authors". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  14. "N.Y. artist's precious jewelry in Smithsonian museum gift shop". USA TODAY. September 27, 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  15. "Women's Jewelry Association". www.womensjewelryassociation.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
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