The Artist

Alena Fisse-Karr is the creative force behind Calliope, she designs and makes each piece of jewelry in her light-filled studio in Seattle, WA. Every item of Calliope jewelry is thoughtfully designed with the intention of bringing long lasting joy to its wearer.

Alena has enjoyed creating since childhood, with all types of materials, from polymer clay to paper, feathers, even computer parts. Alena knew she found her passion after creating her first piece of "grown-up" jewelry, and realized that she had a talent to create things she loved. The delight of seeing raw materials come together into a wearable piece of art was and always will be thrilling to her.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest and traveling the world has instilled in Alena a deep appreciation for nature’s grandeur. She is fascinated by textures, colors and the facets of light seen in stones, plants and clouds. Alena finds beauty in small details that often go unnoticed, from shapes in coffee foam to snail trails and wood grain. She uses these forms as inspiration when working with beautiful metals, pearls, and semi-precious stones. Alena allows the creative process to transport her for hours as her hands seem to naturally shape designs on their own.

Calliope Jewelry is the union of Alena’s love for nature and her many years of experience making art. She has had training in metalsmithing, wire wrapping, design, and photography and has studied jewelry making under artists around the world from Seattle to Bali. Her goal is to make jewelry that is timeless yet modern, whimsical yet sophisticated.