Welcome to Ian St. Gielar Studio (archived) official web site

IAN ST. GIELAR

1953 – 2007

   The jewelry world lost a true artistic treasure with the unexpected death of fashion jewelry designer extraordinaire Ian St. Gielar, who took costume jewelry to a new level of artistry.  St. Gielar died March 21, 2007 from a heart attack during a hospital stay following a car accident.

   Ian St. Gielar worked with vintage beads and findings to create breathtaking jewelry, most of which could be classified as genuine works of art.  He went to work for the famed jewelry designer Stanley Hagler in 1989 and helped turn around the Hagler look of muted pearl designs to one of colorful, intricate and elaborate designs.

   He was born April 30, 1953 in Sanok , Poland .  He spent many years as a young man traveling around Europe before coming to the United States in 1981. Prior to working with Hagler, St. Gielar was employed by the Diplomat Resort in Florida . The Hollywood , Florida area was the only home St. Gielar knew in America .

   St. Gielar loved to travel, almost as much as he loved tennis.  He taught others to play and was an excellent player himself.   Designing beautiful jewelry though, was the greatest passion of his life.

   He was involved in a car accident that prompted a trip to the hospital where he suffered two heart attacks.  It was there on the eighth day of the stay that St. Gielar suffered a second heart attack which proved to be fatal.

   He leaves behind a legacy of gorgeous jewelry designs, worn by stars such as Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Fairchild, Melanie Griffith and others.  His designs graced many fashion show runways and appeared in numerous fashion magazines, among them such illustrious titles as Elle, Vogue, Harpers and Shine.  The Corning Museum of Glass includes St. Gielar designs in its collections.

   Ian St. Gielar is survived by his wife Valentina.  Collectors and clients alike will be pleased to know that Valentina, who worked with him for over 8 years, will continue his work under the name "Ian Gielar Studio,” according to his wishes. Collectors who know Valentina will be pleased that she will be continuing his work.

   Condolences can be sent to his wife at the studio at 1315 Dewey Street , Hollywood , Florida , 33019 .

   Collectors were saddened to hear of the death of St. Gielar. Diane Fitzgerald of Beautiful Beads of Minneapolis, Minnesota said, “Ian St. Gielar was a lively, talented person full of creativity and skill in making jewelry. His designs, often bountiful floral arrangements, are joyful and exuberant. I was fortunate first to have interviewed him for an article in Beadwork magazine and later to have spent a day with him in a private class. His workshop was a dream. He worked on a large table surrounded by shelves of plastic shoeboxes brimming over with components such as beads, filigree and findings. He worked quickly and accurately with each piece tightly wired to its foundation but still exhibiting the blossoming fullness that is so characteristic of his work. He never stinted on findings layering beaded filigree petals and leaves with glass beads and finally finished with a crystal headpin for sparkle. If one owns one of Ian's pieces, cherish it. It was created by a master.

    Collector Kim Paff of Hernando Beach , Florida also agrees. “I will treasure the custom made parure that Ian made especially for me. I admire his work and he will be greatly missed. Most people have no idea what a generous and kind person he was.”

    Collector Carol Kelly agrees, "As a longtime collector of antique Bohemian glass and vintage American costume jewelry, I had no use for contemporary art until I saw jewelry designed and handcrafted by Ian St. Gielar. His masterful color combinations of tiny bits of otherwise unremarkable glass securely layered on filigree by hidden wires resulted in jewelry like no other. He took ordinary parts and created extraordinary jewelry, without drawings, simply from his creative soul to his hands. One of his "Bird-In-Nest" pins has a small faux ivory bird set in a lavish nest created with over 1500 tiny glass beads, pearls, punctuated with spikes of natural coral and mother of pearl! I have that pin on a stand among our antique glass in a cabinet but it belongs in a museum. Good Idea! In 2003 I gave a representative sample of jewels by Ian St. Gielar to my favorite repository of fabulous glass, The Corning Museum of Glass, much to the delight of the curators, Dr. Oldknow and Dr. Page, with whom I conferred. The work of Ian St. Gielar is now complete. Consider yourself lucky if you chose to buy any of his creations during his lifetime, I certainly do. Like much of his jewelry, Ian St. Gielar was one-of-a-kind, never duplicated, and he will be missed."

    Author Ann M. Pitman is heartbroken over his death. “I loved Ian dearly, he was incredibly creative and his talent was boundless. We have lost someone truly special.”