Background on the Author

Janice Fingado

I was born in Ithaca, NY, in 1927. No, that is not a typographical error. I have reached the ripe old age of 91 and still produce for Ruby Lane, teach classes in my studio in Tucson, Arizona, indulge my imagination as I troll the aisles of the Gem Show. One of my missions in life is to encourage other women to follow their dreams, and not be afraid to try something new.)

My husband and I lived abroad for many years while pursuing his career in air conditioning management for an international company. As a result of this, I had the opportunity to experience other cultures and to learn several languages. We lived three years in Zurich, Switzerland, two years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, two years in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and retired in 1970 to build a villa in Spain, near Marbella on the Costa del Sol. Shortly after the construction on the house started, my husband was asked to serve as a consultant on a project in England and so for the next 11 years, we divided our time between the villa in Spain and an apartment first in London, and then in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. I learned to speak German, Portuguese and Spanish in these various places and to appreciate and understand the various cultures. We also made trips all over the world, to the Far East, Europe, Middle East, South America, Africa, etc. In 1980 we decided to emigrate to Canada and lived in Kelowna, British Columbia, until 2009.

I started taking jewelry courses first in Zurich, then studied stones in Rio, took more courses in Hitchin, and on our trips back to the States to visit our daughter and family in Tucson, AZ, I always managed to slip in a course when I visited the Annual Gem and Mineral Show, the world's largest Gem Show.

Shortly after my husband passed away in 2005, I was offered the opportunity to open a studio in the Rotary Centre for the Arts, in Kelowna. I was 78 at the time, had never worked (had only sold my jewelry at Craft Shows and through Galleries), had no experience running a business and had never taught. But I welcomed the chance to do all of those things (I guess, just to prove I could!) and have always felt that the only failure you can experience is the failure to try......... What a wonderful time I've had: made such good friends, enjoyed meeting the public as they came through my studio - had many opportunities to try out those languages - and ended up working 12-hour days teaching all aspects of jewelry-making to hundreds of students. I started some of my students on a jewelry career of their own (one is even on Ruby Lane!) In February of 2008, I was awarded the First Annual Okanagan Arts Award for Design, a beautiful bronze trophy which I am honored to have received.

In November of 2008 I branched out to another field: I joined Ruby Lane online and am proud to be accepted as a shop owner for this prestigious organization with very high standards. In November of 2009, I made the decision to move closer to my family and closed my studio, left my friends behind, and moved to Tucson. (For a jewelry designer: the center of the Universe.)

In 2016 I joined a Writers Group and have started writing my memoirs. I invite you, my future readers, to add your comments below as I proceed along the rough road to publication. Misery loves company?