Mona Van Riper was raised in Santa Fe and in Taos, New Mexico. She started silversmithing at the Mabel Dodge Lujan House in Taos in 1976. Making and designing jewelry has been a constant in her life ever since.
Mona’s early jewelry was heavy stamped Navajo style made from hand-cast ingots and coins. Over the years her style has developed into a more sophisticated and contemporary look while maintaining her signature old-world flavor. about eight years ago Mona introduced engraving into her work which has given her jewelry a broader appeal.
Currently Mona’s unique jewelry is made from sterling silver in combination with 18 karat gold overlays and engraving. Mixing precious and semi-precious stones also gives her jewelry a timeless look. I find making and designing jewelry exciting. There is always something new to learn.