Artist Bio

I'm Donna Marie Sepavich, artist and owner of bliss... designs by donna marie.  It brings me great joy and excitement to finally bring my designs directly to my customers online.  This has been a goal of mine for a very long time... it took a lot of hard work and overcoming some curve balls, but it was worth every challenge... I'm thrilled with my blissful, French, shabby & chic, girly, frilly website!!  And I hope you are too!
 
Originally from frosty Boston, I relocated to lovely Charleston, SC, in 2006 with my husband and fur-kids.  Circumstances fell into place, and I was happy to trade in the snow and cold and move South with the balmy breezes and palm trees... and I am continuously inspired by all the beauty here in the Low Country.

My love of jewelry began at age 3 when my aunt gave me a canister filled with her old cast-offs of vintage jewelry... It wasn’t just “playing dress-up” to me, it was the feel of the jewelry, the textures, the colors… that stirred something inside me. 
 
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a passion for art, jewelry, painting… anything creative.  In the fifth grade, my teacher exposed us to wonderful artists... when she showed us the paintings of Monet and Van Gogh, I thought "yeah, I want to do that."  I quickly found out that being an artist wasn't really considered (by most people) a viable career choice... but I also discovered that art was a wonderful, much-needed outlet for self-expression.  Being a painfully shy child, I realized in high school that art, fashion, and writing were the only ways I could really express myself.
 
I studied at the Massachusetts College of Art with a focus on fine art/painting, and it was there that the seed was planted about becoming a jewelry designer.  At the yearly market in which students sold their work, I decided to try my hand at jewelry-making. I went out, bought some beads and supplies, some clay, and got creative.  My first pieces were primitive, to say the least... basic beaded dangle earrings and some sculpted faces that I turned into pins.  To my surprise, every piece I brought to the show sold.  The spark was lit.
 
Soon after that, my life went off on an unexpected detour; I left school, made some bad choices...  I'll spare readers the gory details, but let's just call it my "uncreative, uninspired period."  After some time away from school to "figure out my life's direction," I returned to college at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, receiving a BA in English, with a minor in Fine Art... just 4 months shy of my 30th birthday.  I was determined to meet my goal of getting that degree before I turned 30... and I was going to do it if it killed me.  Luckily, I survived... and thrived. 
 
Now an editor by day, jewelry artist by night, I am finally “following my bliss”…
 
Words can't express how happy I am to share my handmade jewelry with you… I put my heart and soul into each piece.  Working from my art studio in North Charleston, I love to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces for my clients.  I am incredibly inspired by antique and vintage pieces, so I try to work those into my creations as much as I can. I spend my Saturday mornings scouring Charleston's estate sales, thrift stores, and antique hideaways for just the right elements.

I am currently in the studio creating some lovely, nature-inspired pieces for spring!  If you prefer a custom-designed piece, I can choose just the right stones and materials to work within any budget, and work with you to come up with a design that reflects your personal style and tastes.  I especially love working with brides!
 
Launching bliss… designs by donna marie is a major step in a lifelong dream of living and working as an artist.  It is an honor to share my creations with you… Contact me, and I'll create for you a heartfelt, handmade piece of jewelry.
 
blissfully yours,
donna marie, jewelry artist