The Mississippi Club - WANDA MONK, ARTIST

June 17, 2016

by Rosalin Moss

WANDA MONK

We Need More Love And Respect For Other People

Wanda Monk, Artist

Multi-talented artist Wanda Monk is busy mastering the art of silversmithing, which will take her jewelry making to a new level and will bring her closer to applying for membership with the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi in Ridgeland, Mississippi. In order to become a member of the guild, jewelry makers must be able to hand make all the parts that make up their design, and Monk is up to the challenge and enjoying learning this new craft. Her jewelry has been featured in several local stores, as well as her online Etsy store. Some of Wanda Monk's jewelry has been sold as original, one-of-a-kind pieces, and those lucky enough to posses those pieces are indeed fortunate. Her current focus is on becoming a good silversmith so she is not currently creating new merchandise for sale, and the Etsy store is temporarily closed. However, she will have more of her designs available in the near future. You can see some of Monk's jewelry designs on her Monk Studios page.

Jewelry by Wanda Monk

Wanda Monk is also an accomplished acrylic and watercolor artist, with watercolor being her favorite medium. She is currently a member of the Mississippi Watercolor Society and some of her paintings hang in local galleries. See a sample of Monk's artwork on her art website at Wanda Monk. You can also find her on Facebook at Art by Wanda Monk.

Art by Wanda Monk - Bird's Eye

No one in Wanda Monk's family was the artsy-crafty type, but she had always had a love for crafting, doing things with her hands. Since being a young child, Monk loved fixing things and creating new things out of whatever was available. Monk has also worked with pottery, quilting, and bead embroidery. She also likes to take photographs and enjoys photo editing. In addition to being an artist, Monk works in a local art supply store and resides in Madison County with her photographer husband, Jeff Monk. Having chatted with both Jeff and Wanda, I can say without hesitation that this couple is an excellent example of being supportive spouses, encouraging each other to pursue their creative dreams. They both spoke very highly of each other and I sensed the genuine love and appreciation that they shared. I get the impression Wanda is a woman of quiet dignity, working with patience and wisdom at whatever craft she chooses to do. Her voice is polite and kind, yet I am almost certain that she can be as firm as she needs to be.

Born in Staten Island, New York, while her father was serving in the U. S. Navy, Wanda Monk came to Mississippi when her parents moved back to their home state when she was three years old. She has resided in Mississippi since that time. When I asked Wanda if she ever thought about living anywhere else besides Mississippi, she admitted that she would love to live near a Florida beach. "I love God's work, and just to sit on the beach is just, to me it just fits in all of God's creation." Monk also admits that Mississippi is an amazing place and has some of the most amazing people living there.

Jewelry by Wanda Monk

I asked Wanda Monk the same question I ask everyone who talks with me -- what piece of advice would you want the world to be aware of, what would you want people to know? Her answer was simply " We need more love and respect for other people. If we respected people because they were created by God and He loves them, we would show more love and respect. Some people just refuse to love other people." We both agreed that the world would be a much better place if everyone loved and respected others, and we sadly acknowledged how unlikely it is that such a thing will happen.

Wanda Monk is already a skilled artist who produces work that exhibits the patience and detail of someone who loves what they do. I imagine that her new silversmithing skills will only increase the beauty and artistry of her jewelry work. I am particularly anxious to see what pieces she designs that are specific to Mississippi. The Mississippi Club will be keeping in touch with Wanda Monk so we can be some of the first ones to see her new work. In the meantime, while we are waiting to see the next jewelry masterpieces, take a browse through Wanda Monk's fine art site where you will find some of her exquisite paintings and drawings.

--Rosalin Moss aka Mississippi Traveler

The Mississippi Club

June 17, 2016