This West Seattle jewelry maker is inspired by nature

WEND Jewelry was inspired by jewelry maker Wendy Woldenberg’s hike on the Wonderland Trail.

SEATTLE – Wendy Woldenberg’s life was a journey of twists and turns, so it makes sense that she named her jewelry store WEND Jewelry. She was a high school jewelry teacher for twenty years until a hike on the Wonderland Trail changed her.

“I had this amazing experience when some friends invited me for a hike and I hadn’t hiked in literally 15 years,” says Woldenberg. “But where most people saw a glacier or a waterfall or leaves, I saw jewelry.”

And that led her to open her jewelry studio in West Seattle, where Woldenberg dreams of earth-inspired designs at her jewelry bank.

“I do everything by hand,” says Woldenberg.

This is extremely unique for an industry where almost all jewelry is designed on the computer and finished in a factory. Woldenberg touches every single piece in her studio.

At WEND Jewelry you will find rings that are inspired by the gentle currents of the tide pools and are woven in silver and gold. There’s even a small bowl of Washington state stones that Woldenberg can turn into a ring for you.

Her love for nature goes way beyond her designs. Woldenberg’s jewelry is made from certified recycled metals. If you bring an old piece of gold to WEND, Woldenberg can even melt the gold into your new piece of jewelry.

You will find that Wendy’s designs don’t look particularly feminine or masculine. This is intentional – all of the jewelry at WEND is gender-neutral.

“I really believe that gender doesn’t have to define your jewelry, jewelry doesn’t have to define your gender, that your humanity should define your jewelry and what you choose,” says Woldenberg.

Wendy Woldenberg went from school to the studio – thanks to a life-changing hike.

“It was so different from anything I’d experienced and so overwhelmingly powerful,” says Woldenberg.

And she ended up in West Seattle and brought beauty to the world.

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