LIZA SHTROMBERG

Today we are in Moscow, Russia standing in Sobornaya Square just outside the architectural wonder Cathedral of the Annunciation. 

There are bronze doors, with gold foil overlay, located at the north and west portals; the walls feature portions of murals painted by Theodosius, and the floor is made of jasper.

Russia is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Liza Shtromberg.

Shtromberg openly embraces culture. She travels the world collecting gemstones: labradorite from Madagascar, carnelian from Egypt, shells from the Red Sea, and opals from Peru.

Highly knowledgeable about the gemstones she collects, Shtromberg's website features a section with extensive information about the stones she uses. She has fashioned 19 eclectic collections in such a way that the gemstones featured embody the commanding ancient history living within them while also maintaining a quiet simplicity.

"I've always been drawn to other cultures and their crafts--basket weaving, embroidery, jewelry--it's an expression of their value system, who they are," she says. Some of Shtromberg's hand fabricated jewelry pieces capture the unrefined appearance of jewelry made during ancient times. Her Petra, and Destination Greece collections are perfect examples of this.

As a youngster, Shtromberg developed her skills while living in Jaffa, Israel. Her father, a highly experienced cameo designer and stonecutter, owned a jewelry gallery and Shtromberg assisted him in making wax molds for jewelry castings.

At the age of 16, after moving to Los Angeles with her family, she created simple yet stunning jewelry with wires, beads, and crystals loving the level of self-expression creating jewelry provides. Years later she opened her retail-studio, named LS Jewelry, in Los Feliz, California.

Her designs are a favorite of such famous clientele as Nelly Furtado and Rachel Weisz. Shtromberg enjoys assisting her clients in finding their unique style through her collections encouraging them to mix pieces from one collection with pieces from another until they arrive at something truly reflexive of their individuality.

Shtromberg also cares about the environment and her Eco Modern Collection is made from ecoresin a transparent, co-polyester sheet substance that contains recycled content but also retains its core physical properties.

Having attended the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel, where students from around the world search for solutions to environmental issues, Shtromberg founded her eco-friendly retail store All Shades of Green located in Silver Lake, California. The store also serves as an educational hub, and design center.

Aside from carrying an array of sustainable products, the store is a place for people to drop off old 10-, 14-, 18- and 22-karat gold and sterling silver jewelry for recycling.

The precious metals are then carted off to a local plant for melting to be subsequently made into new jewelry.
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Photo 1 (top right): Memories Necklace from the Eco Modern Collection
Photo 2 (bottom left): Sterling Silver Paisley Pearl Necklace