About the Artist
Stacie Anderson and John Wilke met while working at Phantom Ranch—the historic lodge located at the bottom of the
Grand Canyon
—and later married. Their latest collaboration is handcrafting jewelry together. Stacie is the silversmith while John does the beading, some of the lapidary work, and assists with design.
Stacie grew up in the Midwest and earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from
Miami
University
in
Oxford
,
Ohio
. Her first job after moving to
Arizona
was selling Native American jewelry at the El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House on the south rim of the
Grand Canyon
. Eventually she landed a job at Phantom Ranch and realized that
Arizona
would be “home” for the rest of her life.
John grew up in the West and earned a B.S degree in Political Science from the
University
of
Oregon
. Following graduation he moved to
Taiwan
, taught English and studied Mandarin Chinese. After several years of travel in Asia, he somehow ended up at the bottom of the
Grand Canyon
.
In 1993 John and Stacie found a home in
Prescott
,
AZ.
They spend as much of their free time as possible in nature, whether hiking, biking or paddling. Although they enjoy traveling, they are always happy to return home to
Arizona
.
Jewelry making is a relatively new venture for them, and they find it exciting and challenging at every turn. Throughout their journey together, the natural world and Eastern philosophy have influenced their approach to art and life, with the emphasis on simplicity. They also credit their Scandinavian blood for influencing their minimalist style. Their inspiration is that someone may experience joy from one of their creations.
For more of Stacie and John's work, check out their website: www.arpanworks.com
