Iris Studio Jewelry: Where Grief Becomes Art, and Love Becomes Legacy
Iris Studio Jewelry was born from love, loss, and my mother's unwavering belief in creativity. From childhood, my mom, Iris, encouraged every artistic impulse, whether it was music, painting, writing, or beading. She understood that creating wasn't just a hobby, but a way to see the world.
At the end of 2005, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer. By mid-2007, it had progressed to terminal stomach cancer. As her caregiver, I spent countless hours by her side, having conversations I’ll cherish forever. One day, she shared her deepest worry, not about her own illness, but about how my sisters and I would cope after she was gone.
My mom passed away when I was 16, leaving us heartbroken. In the years that followed, grief threatened to consume me, until I realized this wasn’t what she would have wanted. So I turned to what she loved most: creativity. I started making jewelry because of one simple memory, my mom never let us leave the house without earrings. Never.
Jewelry was her love language. Every pair I craft is a rebellion against sorrow, and when you wear one of my pieces, you’re wearing her legacy. This business is a reminder that even in darkness, we can make something beautiful.
What We Do Today
Iris Studio Jewelry now blends:
- Handmade polymer clay, beadwork, and wire-wrapped pieces (each infused with intention and made with love)
- Curated stainless steel jewelry
Some call me Iris now (they assume it's my name because it's in the name of the business), I adore that. Because as long as her name is spoken, she’s here, at every market booth (where her photo watches over us), in every earring that catches the light, in every customer who feels seen.
This isn’t just jewelry. It’s heirlooms of resilience. Wear them, gift them, and, if you’d like, share your story with me. Let’s keep creating, just as she taught us.
"No one ever truly dies as long as we continue to say their name."
In loving memory of Iris Yvette Leasure