Ninth House

Phyllis is a prolific designer, spanning a long career as a designer of jewelry and home accessories. She has had a wholesale jewelry production company since 1975, which has evolved from her beginnings - making hammered sterling and brass geometric shaped earrings, with her first employee, Tina Brady. The business grew from there, and Phyllis expanded her creative vocabulary to include a full line of fine and fashion jewelry, full of unusual components which she has always hand picked. Her design inspirations come from everything around her, especially the desert she lives in. Her interest in blue and green colorations comes from many years as a swimmer, noticing the blending of those colors under water. Her vision has always been to create easy to wear yet distinctive jewelry that enhances the wearer. In her design statement she says, "A common bond of the human spirit is reflected in adornment. I hope to provide a part of the vehicle for the continuity and strengthening of that bond." Her company name, TRIBALINKS, sums up the idea of her explorations of the design links among tribal and ancient cultures. Her international work in Asia, and then, Africa, have influenced her styling, and led to work with the actual bead makers. She has spent much time in Ghana, working with the talented craftsmen who make recycled glass beads, and developing new shapes and uses for the glass. She expanded the vocabulary into many of her home and garden accessories, and recycled glass tiles for the home. She also has had many design consultancies over the years, with AID TO ARTISANS, USAID, SIGMA ONE, and more. In addition, Phyllis is a sometimes writer for the quarterly journal ORNAMENT. She authored a story on the making of Fulani earrings of Mali, and also more recently, about the Tucson Gem Show's AFRICAN ART VILLAGE. Her company, TRIBALINKS, routinely exhibits its full lines of products at the NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR and ACCESSORIES THE SHOW in New York. An interesting and very satisfying aspect of Phyllis's jewelry designs is their longevity, with many becoming modern classics. Many happy clients write her to tell of their favorite pieces, still being worn over many years, and into their children's generation!