I guess you can say that I have always been an artist. Ever since I was a little girl I was making necklaces from shells and taking pictures of the strangest things. For a long time I was curtain I’ll be a photographer – I had a couple of shows, travelled around Asia with my camera as my companion, but life happened and I found myself studying jewellery design, though I never really gave it up…

Three years ago my husband and I started a new life when we moved to the Caribbean to work on boats – a year ago we decided we found home and settled down here in Antigua. I established MG Designs in 2005 as a custom-made wedding band studio in Israel. I found it thrilling to design something that in concept should last forever. The design process involved a couple’s desires and lifestyle, in order to create a ring that will be both comfortable and beautiful.
  I also started to design my own line of jewellery – clean flowing lines, often using one of nature’s most amazing shapes – the spiral. This motive repeats itself a lot in my designs, whether consciously or not. I get most of my inspiration from nature, the order that hides under the surface, the beauty of all living creatures.



My favourite material is gold – especially 22K and 18K, due to their softness and willingness to take up shape and their brilliant colour.  In many of my designs, the gems are there to enhance the gold, as opposed to old world beliefs, where the gold was used as the background.

  I also use sterling silver in many of my designs, which gives me the liberty to create big extravagant pieces that are still affordable.  
All of the materials I use are top quality, purchased as rough metal or cut stones from reliable sources, then treated and shaped into finished jewellery by me in my studio on the beautiful island of Antigua in the Caribbean Sea.

  One of my biggest joys and challenges until this day is to create one-of-a-kind pieces for people.

Whether it is designing a jewel around a special stone that was brought to me or to create something from scratch, following an idea one of my clients has – it is always amazing to see a unique piece coming to life and then to watch the thrill on a person's face when they see their dream as a reality for the first time.

As for the photography part of me, I always liked the bizarre – taking pictures from up close, or just a part of a whole, leaving the viewer guessing what it is that he is looking at. There are such beautiful colours and textures in nature that we tend to ignore on our daily life – and that is what I try to capture.

 I invite you to become part of my world, share my vision and enjoy my work.

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Michel Glass is an artist of Israeli descent, living and working in Antigua.  She will be showcasing her work at Al Porto restaurant, Marinaside, Jolly Harbour, on Thursday, June 24th.  Enjoy free appetizers and a glass of wine from 5-7PM, and learn more about her abstract nature photography in driftwood frames, and handmade jewellery which incorporates silver, gold, gems and pearls. Visit her website for more info.