Roberta Gelt
A retired psychotherapist, I have lived on the coast since 1980, first in El Granada, then Half Moon Bay and now in Moss Beach. I began making jewelry in 1997 when a fall while hiking in Alaska left me with a horrible disease called Complex Regional Pain Sydrome (CRPS). As a result I suffered severe pain in my feet, and wasn’t able to walk more than a block. One day soon after, I was telling my neighbor, Phyllis Smith; about my fall, diagnosis, how painful it was and how I couldn’t walk my dog or hike or do all the activities I loved. I will never forget what she said to me: “When you can’t do one thing, you need to do something else. Come into my studio and I’ll teach you how to make jewelry”.
That started our 15 years of Fridays making jewelry together. Phyllis made the most beautiful jewelry and silver bowls and spoons and vases I’ve ever seen. She saw the creative side of me and talent for making jewelry and nurtured what I had never been in touch with; she taught me so much. I loved our time together and the process of silversmithing and using a kiln and so much more. She passed away a couple of years ago and I’ll never forget her. After that, my pain got much worse and I gave up making jewelry for about 10 years.
In 2022, a miracle happened and the pain I had endured for 28 years, decreased about 80% and although I’m not cured I can now walk and do so much more which includes being able to concentrate again enough to start making jewelry again. I also started traveling more and love finding stones in different countries and states to put into my pieces. I recently went to Santa Fe NM for the first time and bought a lot of turquoise stones which is my favorite stone. But truth be told, one of my favorite things to do is just looking at the stones I have in my collection and buying more!!
I hope you enjoy my work.
