If one word can be said to describe the character of a person’s life, the word for Joanne Quirino would be transformation. Joanne Quirino is the creative force and founder of Q Studios, a jewelry designer and retailer of fine handmade jewelry.

As a child, Joanne was fascinated by shells, rocks, beads and other materials that could be gathered together in combinations that were decorative. She began making her own little pieces of adornment from found objects, and also became interested in drawing and painting. Her work soon drew attention, and wound up in the showcase at her grammar school. In Junior High, she created a cover design for the schools annual poetry publication.

When Joanne moved on to high school, her creative energy attracted the interest of the Chouinard Art Institute of Los Angeles, and she was awarded a summer scholarship. Time for college arrived, and Joanne set out in pursuit of more “practical” skills with which to make a living, but the call of creativity won out. Before long she was managing an import shop in San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square and strolling through Aquatic Park to see the work being displayed by a multitude of street artists. Joanne felt her jewelry creations could compete with what was out there, so on the weekends she began setting up shop on the Green. Before long she was deriving enough income from jewelry to quit the import shop.

The circus environment of the streets of San Francisco in the 1970’s and rubbing elbows with other creative types was inspiring, but Joanne decided to retreat to a less hectic lifestyle and moved to the Sierra foothills community of Grass Valley. There she was employed by a goldsmith and sharpened her skills in metalworking. Eventually she set up her own studio where she created pieces of her own design. Later she moved on to Sonoma County where she joined one of the country’s most highly regarded jewelry casting and production companies. In addition to design work, Joanne learned the intricacies of casting pieces for multiple production.

Creative communities have always attracted Joanne, and in 2006 she moved to the High Desert of Central Oregon. The Bend community has become one of the hottest spots for artisans in the country, and Joanne has fit right in. Currently her jewelry is shown at the High Desert Museum, and she continues to search for unique stones and materials, which she transforms into unique works of art for individual clients.