Lubov (Luba) Warrack, a dedicated silversmith and featured jeweler on jewelrycrossings.com, quite amazingly arrived at the jeweler’s bench via the science lab.

In fact, Luba came to the United States from her homeland of Russia in 1990 on a research grant. A graduate in biology from Moscow State University, she received a Ph.D. in neurophysiology from the Russian Academy of Sciences. When her research was completed at a university in North Carolina she wanted to become a university lecturer, but was told her Russian accent would present a problem.

Luckily, at the same time Luba was involved in scientific research back in Moscow, she was also pursuing a parallel interest in and fascination with jewelry making. She successfully completed an apprenticeship with Evgeny Butorov, silversmith and restoration expert at the Moscow Historical Museum from 1979 to 1982, working on icon mounts in gold and silver filigree. So when her work in academia was ending, Luba decided to take her jewelry making talent to the next level. Soon she was selling her pieces of sterling silver earrings, pendants, bracelets and rings at local jewelry shows on the east coast. Some of Luba’s early work concentrated on the classic Russian filigree she had learned back in Russia, but soon she found herself experimenting with contemporary styles and the innovative techniques in silver making. She studied plique-a-jour enameling with Valeri Timofeev at East Carolina University and reticulation techniques at Duke University under Mary Ann Scherr. Today Luba's artistry still excites the beholder with intricately woven filigree patterns, inspired by her training on Russian historical icons. But her creative energy also finds a home in a fascinating technique called "reticulation" which transforms the surface of her sterling silver pieces into a creased, crepe-like texture. She especially enjoys making ribbons of sterling silver and weaving them into custom bracelets and pendant mountings. Often she imports rare Russian gemstones not readily found in North America, as well as the more familiar like amber, and incorporates them into her contemporary designs.

Citrine Silver Pendant In the past ten years Luba has exhibited her work at numerous shows from New England to California and has won many awards including Best in Jewelry Category at the Virginia-Highlands Show in Atlanta; Best in Show at the Cityfest, Charlotte, N.C.; and Best in Category at the Art on the Lawn, Richmond, VA.

Luba makes her home with husband Giles, a mathematics professor, in Greensboro, N.C. You can see Luba’s work by visiting www.jewelrycrossings.com and clicking on her gallery called "From Russia with Luba." - Susi, Silver Jewelry Crossings