Rene Lee Henry was born in Scottsdale, Arizona, and relocated to San Diego, California in 1990. She has been a professional graphic designer for the past nine years, but is striving to shift her primary career to full-time jeweler. She received her BA in Fine Arts with honors from San Diego State University in 2013, where she was the recipient of the Women’s Jewelry Association Scholarship Award, and received scholarships from Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Rene is co-founder of VAR Collective; a group of makers that exchange ideas as well as creating and promoting group projects and exhibitions in San Diego. Her individual work has been selected for exhibitions across the United States, published in Showcase 500 Art Necklaces by Lark publishing; and was the recipient of San Diego State University Student Exhibition President’s Award.
She currently has a studio practice making one-of-a-kind and limited production jewelry in San Diego, but will be temporarily relocating to Houston, Texas to participate in Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s Artist Residency Program January through May 2016. While at HCCC, Rene will be focusing on new work pushing the focus beyond its current emphasis on formal elements to encompass a greater depth of meaning through personal narrative. This work will be based upon her fascination of modern day ruins and the “relics” left behind. To learn more about her work, please visit https://reneleehenry.com.
