Bernadette Hudson has been designing jewelry for as long as she can remember, though her creative hunger was fed as a sideline to the corporate world she entered shortly after graduating with a BFA degree in Metal Smithing from New Mexico State University. Raised in Roswell, NM, Bernadette moved to Dallas in 1979 where she pursued graduate studies in fine art while working for various restaurants. Landing a management job with Brinker International interrupted her degree program, and led to another door opening in the field of hospitality recruiting and training, taking her on the road five days a week. Throughout her climb up the corporate ladder, she continued to hone her jewelry skills, designing for friends, family and employees. But it wasn’t until she lost her job after 16 years in executive management at a major hospitality chain, that she decided it was time to take the leap and turn what had been a hobby into a new career. Her custom pieces had always been show-stoppers, so it was a natural for her to extend that same mission of offering statement-making jewelry in her new venture, Bernadette Hudson Designs. Bernadette’s native New Mexico with its expert silversmiths, diverse art communities in Santa Fe and Taos, and the influences of New Mexico’s American Indian culture inspire Bernadette’s collections. An inveterate collector, and avid cyclist, Bernadette has traveled throughout the world from China and Japan to France, Portugal and Spain where she has participated in cycling events, and gathered ideas for the organic shapes, and eclectic style of her designs. Ever on the prowl for unusual pieces like the tiny carved jade Buddhas, vintage artifacts, and museum-quality Pre-Colombian beads, Bernadette gathers her treasures to combine them with precious metals of 14K gold, sterling silver, copper and bronze. She chooses semi-precious stones, minerals, lustrous fresh-water pearls, and even textiles to mix with her fine metal work. Her keen eye for art combined with her skilled craftsmanship result in one-of-a-kind pieces known for stopping traffic and turning heads. “Women love to be noticed for their jewelry,” says Bernadette. “It is a joy for me to be able to create pieces that not only are noticed for their specialness, but also the pleasure they provide for those who wear my jewelry.” Like the women who covet her creations, Bernadette Hudson Designs are quite simply, extraordinary.
Copyright 2012 - All rights reserved Bernadette Hudson Designs | photography by Claire McCormack