Consuelo Campos

Throughout her career as a jeweler, Consuelo Campos’ work was shaped by the influences of her past.  Born in Northern California’s Tulare County to parents from Jalisco, Mexico, she grew up in Southern California where she studied painting.  Forever in love with precious metals and stones, Consuelo traveled to Taxco, Mexico and began her training in jewelry making.

In Mexico, Consuelo encountered her first great artistic influence -- the Mayan pyramids and their glyphs and stone carvings.  To her, they were an expression of the divine brought down to mortal understanding.  She began to incorporate the graphic nature of the Mayan glyphs into her work, where they remained a trademark. Another profound influence was Faberge, whose work she described at “theatrical and lush” and whose sense of color and opulence is evidenced in her own work.  Her unique sense of color and the way in which she combined stones not only spoke to Faberge but also to her own career as a fine art painter.

For years, she worked in the antique business and studied the intricate construction techniques of vintage pieces.  In so doing, she learned the best assemblage techniques of gold, silver and stones.  She also worked as a trader of Southwestern art among the pueblos and reservations in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico.  That Southwestern sensibility is echoed throughout her work today.

Consuelo Campos described her own work as thoroughly modern with an Old World sensibility. She said her pieces evolved from a Southwestern perspective through Taxco into pieces that look as though they’ve been pulled up from the wreck of Spanish galleon.

Clients described her work as nothing less than transformative.  When they give themselves the gift of one of Consuelo Campos’ monumental pieces, it’s truly a right of passage, and they feel enriched every time they wear her jewelry.  The beauty and meaning of Consuelo’s work passes into the customer who feels beautiful for wearing it. Consuelo’s work was published in several leading magazines including Elle Magazine and Sundance Magazine.  Her work is featured in galleries across the U.S. as well as in Paris and Mexico.

Sadly, Consuelo Campos passed away in 2017. Her spirit lives on in her vibrant and unique art.