Handwritten text reading 'Debra Adelson'.
An image of jewelry artist Debra Adelson wearing an apron, at he workbench about to set a gemstone.

BFA, Tyler School of Art, 1996

Undergraduate Award in Metals

I'm a studio jeweler working in glass, metal, and gemstone, creating one-of-a-kind pieces by hand.

I always knew, even from an early age, that I would be an artist. Crayons, paint, and glue were the foundation of my childhood. At Tyler School of Art, I was introduced to the metals studio and was instantly hooked. The first time I held a jeweler's saw, I knew I had found my path.

I think of myself as a sculptor first, one who happens to work at a very wearable scale, intent on creating pieces that stand the test of time and become future heirlooms.

I began my career before "carbon footprint" and "climate change" were part of everyday conversation. For over a decade, I incorporated plastics into my work to bring in color. As that global conversation shifted, I began to reconsider my place within our ecosystem, and that search led me to glass. It turned out to be far more than a material swap. It became a creative obsession, and eventually, a body of work that is entirely my own.

For nearly 30 years, my work has been exhibited nationally in galleries, museum shops, and juried craft shows, including the Smithsonian Craft Show, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and the Corning Museum of Glass. My work is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. I have authored a book on jewelry-making and received a 2023 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts -- a highly selective biennial grant that more often goes to academics than working artists. Being chosen was a genuine honor, and honestly, a complete surprise.

I still make everything by hand, one piece at a time.

Find your next favorite piece.

View available work