It
may be a glint of sunlight on the bark of a tree or an intricate pattern in
a maple leaf, but to Carlton Ridge ’68, it’s
all raw material. A renowned jewelry designer, she finds inspiration for her
necklaces, earrings, pins and bracelets in the world around her – and
from historical treasures.
Coming up with ideas “is the easiest thing I do,” said Ridge,
a lover of British and ancient Egyptian culture. With her studio located in
a converted barn on her 11-acre Kentucky horse farm, she said, “I’m
always thinking about the jewelry.”
Ridge’s contemporary yet classic creations are sold in stores throughout
the Southeast. She designs about 200 new pieces a year for her collection
called Carlton Ridge for Sutton Hoo Inc. The name comes from a British burial
site in which a cache of jewels was found in a ship unearthed at the gravesite
of an East Anglican king.
Nature always has held an allure for Ridge. It was Mary Washington’s
trees and grassy lawns that drew her to the campus some 40 years ago. In addition
to a love for art and history, what was instilled in her at Mary Washington
was commitment to the school’s honor system. That honor code still influences
Ridge in her business dealings, she said. “It was a great character-builder
for me.”
After earning her degree in studio arts from Mary Washington, with a minor
in art history, Ridge taught both elementary school and college students in
Louisville, where she earned a master’s degree in teaching from Spalding
University. When she moved to the West Coast to continue her teaching career,
she realized how much she missed art. That’s when she decided to pursue
a San Francisco apprenticeship in jewelry design, a field that held appeal
both as a creative pursuit and a practical, mobile business.
Three decades later, Ridge’s pieces sell for between $50 and $200. Her
trademark necklaces use large medallion centerpieces surrounded by natural
minerals and stones, such as strawberry quartz and ocean jasper. 
In 2000, another passion came to the forefront. With the purchase of her farm
outside Louisville, Ridge embarked on a massive project to transform a dark,
cramped late-1700s home into a spacious, airy, rustic retreat. The end result
was featured in Kentucky Homes & Gardens and This Old House magazines,
and Ridge now has a side business coordinating the remodeling of historic
homes.
Another gem resulted from the renovation of her home. Davis Marret, one of
the contractors in the project, became her husband in December 2003. The farm
suits their lifestyle, she said, and brings a sense of calm. For Ridge, who
combines jewelry-designing with rural farm life, the glittery meets the gritty.
She takes advantage of every opportunity to commune with nature. “When
I’m out riding, I go into this valley,” she said. “When
the light comes through [the trees], it’s just like stained glass. It’s
wonderful.”
– Robyn Davis Sekula
Photos by Melissa Mann