Vashon long time resident and fine jewelry craftsman Eric Heffelfinger created a new collection for VCA’s Gallery Gift Shop. The collection includes earrings, cuff bracelets, chains and pendants from gold and/or silver. He works with a variety of stones including include diamonds, jade, red coral, turquoise, pearls, lapis, and many others.

“I cast my first piece of jewelry when I was 15 years old. Now, some 55 years and over 5,000 pieces of jewelry later, I get the same sense of excitement as the centrifuge spins the molten metal from the crucible into the mold as I got those many years ago, casting my first piece of jewelry. What can I say? I live, eat, and breathe jewelry making. The basic technique I have used in the 54 years that I have been a goldsmith is lost wax casting. Fabrication, when needed, is done afterward. The goal of my designs is to be fluid rather than sharp edged. To be water rather than rock.”