The designs of New Mexico jewelry artist Lauren Tobey have evolved according to her personal experiences and travels. Lauren was born in Chicago but grew up in Baton Rouge. She later moved to Albuquerque, NM to attend the University of New Mexico, and this is where her passion for jewelry making became her livelihood. She began working as a bench jeweler in 2001 under a local Albuquerque artist. During this time she was exposed to the business aspect of crafting for a living and began her own entrepreneurial endeavors.

Her artistic spirit compelled Lauren toward exploration, and she spent the next years traveling in Spain and Central America, living for two years in Costa Rica and taking inspiration from natural materials: this inspiration is seen in her work today as she incorporates not only materials from the beaches of Costa Rica, but also pieces formed specifically for her by the artisans at Bosquemar, a woodworking studio in the small pueblo of Corozalito. There, endangered wood that washes ashore is collected and turned into one-of-a-kind art, manifesting its natural and vivid colors.

Lauren constantly looks for challenges in the construction of her work, and believes in taking the most fundamental techniques and using them in intriguing and complex designs. Each piece of jewelry Lauren creates represents quatily craftsmanship and she believes that every piece should make a statement as it reflects the beauty that surrounds us.

Currently, Lauren is devoted to the start of her business—Meltdown Studio—a jewelry school/studio which not only teaches jewelry classes, but offers an open studio/workspace for other artists to use. She hopes to share her passion for jewelry and to provide opportunities for others to explore their own creativity.