Karen Okada

When I create jewelry or make a painting, the action and its symbolism is a genuine endeavor to ground and elevate our everyday existence. In all my work I hope to catalyze a way to see ourselves as part of this planet, to embrace our path, and hold space for ourselves and each-other. It’s quantum entanglement. My background: I was raised on a small peach farm in an agricultural town in central California. After then living in Los Angeles for a lifetime, I now call Boulder my home after moving here twice. I was raised in a home where quality and craft was practiced. I’ve always been a maker at heart. My other life was for almost three decades was living and breathing in the fashion industry as head designer for Climax , by Karen Okada for David Howard for thirteen years where I designed the nightly evening dresses for Vanna White (Wheel of Fortune) and had pieces in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue. After a few year break, I then became one of the head designers at Bebe. Cocktail and evening dresses were my passion. I loved the creativity and the practice of being an architect of a garment. The attention to detail and the pulse of timing was critical. I fulfilled that love with accomplishment. Never looking back, I moved to Boulder with my family. I am still a maker at heart.