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A thing of beauty
Submitted photo - Luna Teal's 'Pet Rock' necklace, $42.
BY Marthe Stinton, mstinton@acnpapers.com
For Leslie Chatman, jewelry has gone from a simple hobby in her early years to an all-consuming business that has her losing track of time and never without inspiration.
Growing up in Plano has played a large role in this jeweler’s life. Although she has moved just across city limits, Chatman will still do her shopping in the city she has long called home.
“I have always kind of made bracelets and necklaces,” Chatman said. “People have always liked it and complimented my work. Then my neighbor from grade school found me on Facebook and told me she still had a bracelet I made her from several years ago and told me she still loved it.”
“I have been making jewelry all through my childhood and as I got older I started making things and wearing things more often myself,” Chatman said. “People started saying that I should sell things and start my own business. It took many years and a lot of people talking me into it, but I started my own jewelry design business last year.”
Chatman said she has received high praise for her pieces and has had a good reception into the jewelry world.
“Some people really like some of the pieces I have made and have been encouraging me to make even more and try a few different designs,” Chatman said.
When it comes to finding inspiration, Chatman just has to open her eyes to the world around her.
“Sometimes my inspiration is found in nature, sometimes it’s things that come to me when I am watching television,” Chatman said. “There are times when I see other jewelry and want to change it or reinvent pieces of my own. Some of the things I make now are some things I made when I was younger that are still relevant and things that people like.”
Though Chatman has an eye for color, form and color combinations, she has not been involved in any other art and said, “I can’t draw at all.”
In addition to the monetary benefits, Chatman said creating jewelry served as an emotional outlet.
“It is extremely therapeutic,” she said. “It is one of the emotional releases for me.”
Chatman said there is a level of skill and judgment involved when it comes to making pieces but said she could easily get lost in her work.
“You have to think out the design and how you are going to place things, but it is relaxing for me to do that,” she said. “I can sit down and get lost in it. It could be hours before I realize that I haven’t moved.”
Most of Chatman’s pieces are made with 14 karat gold-filled wire with semi-precious and precious stones, though she plans to incorporate sterling silver back into the mix.
“Until I started my business I had done everything in sterling silver,” Chatman said. “Recently I have fallen in love with 14 karat gold metals and pearls. The lemon quartz is so pretty and hard to find but it is beautiful and I love it against the gold. I love color and feel that you have to have a lot of color in jewelry. You lose the statement when you remove the color.”
Chatman describes her work as clean lines with a level of sophistication.
“My jewelry is one of those things that can transition from day to night,” Chatman said. “You can wear it to any occasion. If you are hanging out in jeans and a t-shirt or spending a night out going to the theater, my jewelry will fit for all situations — it’s whatever you want it to be. If you want it to be something you wear to work, fine, if you want to wear it out, fine.”
LunaTeal Jewelry is currently only sold online, though Chatman aspires to have her work in local boutiques in the coming months.
“Sure I would love the attention of a major retailer, but I would like to have a strong neighborhood specialty boutique base as well because not everyone shops major retailers anymore,” Chatman said. “I would also like to have a strong individual customer base. Paying attention to the individual customer is important to me.”
For information, visit lunateal.com.
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