About

Claudia Alleyne began her career in metal in the Midwest as a welder. From a young age she envisioned herself creating in steel through the use of fire. While she continued on this path for many years, working as a production welder both in the Midwest and Berkeley, she also envisioned herself living in Africa at some point in her life and yearned to go there as more than a tourist. She realized this goal by joining the US Peace Corps and landed in Cape Verde, West Africa, an archipelago nation located 370 kilometers off the coast of Senegal. It was here that she began her love of jewelry. In the capital city she befriended a Mauritanian man, Hasime, who ran a small jewelry shop where his hand made jewelry as well as jewelry from Mauritania and Mali were sold. She began apprenticing with him because he also spoke English, which she grew to miss as she was living in the deep countryside in a tiny village without any amenities. Upon return to the US she started taking classes at City College in San Francisco, as well as the Richmond Art Center to learn more, as well as taught herself.

Claudia resides in Berkeley, CA. When not making jewelry, chasing after her son, or working at Shibumi Gallery she finds her relaxing space making homemade kimchi, taking saunas, and trying new soup recipes.