By Emma Castleberry
Jeweler Suzy Johnson was wearing a rose quartz and sterling silver necklace one day in her art gallery and gift shop when she received a disturbing phone call. “It was the kind of thing that normally would have upset me,” she says, “but I was fine. I didn’t feel stressed, just a little concerned. When it was closing time, I took off the necklace and put it back into the jewelry display case. As I drove home, the phone call’s message really started to get to me and by the time I was home I was panicking.”
(Inset) Heart of Hearts; (Main) Fall Bracelet Blessing Bundle with Amethyst and Lavender stone bracelet. FourElements BeadWorks. Suzy Johnson, artist
The next day she contacted her friend, a Reiki master who was teaching Johnson about healing energy modalities, and told her what had happened. “She explained that rose quartz heals the heart on all levels,” remembers Johnson. “It is calming and it lessened the impact of the disturbing information. I was stunned. I started reading about all sorts of gemstones and learned that they all have different energetic healing properties.”
Johnson has been working with gemstones in her jewelry for more than 35 years and continues to share about their power with her business, FourElements BeadWorks. “My inspiration for pieces comes from the four elements: earth, sky, water and fire,” she says. “The stones and their healing properties are on my mind as I design, but the majority of my work is based on what I see and experience in nature. As I’m working I’m feeling the energy of the gemstones and, once completed, I realize the complexities of how the stones work together.”
From the balancing and calming effects of turquoise to the passionate, stimulating qualities of amethyst, Johnson considers each gemstone’s properties as she creates a piece of jewelry. “I create jewelry with specific healing energies in mind,” she says. “For instance, this month, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, I love to combine the stones of love—rhodochrosite, rhodonite, rose quartz and amethyst—into a cohesive statement that looks beautiful and feels incredible when you wear the jewelry.”
Johnson also makes Bracelet Blessing Bundles that pair a gemstone bracelet with a bundle of organic herbs, flowers, tree branches and pods that she grows in her gardens. “I do know that many of my customers have had positive results using the bundles and wearing my healing gemstone jewelry,” she says. “Some have called, emailed or written to tell me of improvements in various physical conditions, relationship issues and emotional challenges. I know that for some people this seems remarkable, but if your heart and mind are open to receiving blessings, then the healing properties of gemstones can be very beneficial.”
For more information, visit FourElementsBeadWorks.com or find FourElementBeadWorks on Etsy.
