Storytelling, legacy, and personal myth inform Hess’s intuitive creative approach. Working with silver, 14 to 24 karat gold, found objects, and natural unfinished stones, Hess, who received her degree in metal arts from the University of Washington, uses ancient and experimental techniques to create jewelry that bears witness to her clients’ life stories. Commissions incorporate clients’ cherished unworn heirlooms into new contemporary pieces that reflect the wearers’ history, life story, and current sense of style. “The materials I work with inspire me to create stories that evolve the whole piece."