Custom Creations Fine Jewelry
It all began with copper pots! 
Lynne has been actively designing and making jewelry since 1962. She attended Oberlin College in Oberlin Ohio, completing degrees in Psychology and Art. Oberlin is known for its fine art restoration department, and it is here that Lynne began to develop her jewelry making skills. Since she was a talented welder, Lynne was asked by the art restoration department to help repair some vintage copper pots. One thing led to another, and Lynne found herself not only repairing copper pots, but then silver tea services, and finally antique jewelry. Through the process of taking antique jewelry apart and repairing it, Lynne learned her craft. At Oberlin, she was able to be creative and try new methods and designs that pleased her without someone telling her it couldn't be done. One of the methods Lynne often used was to suspend a stone in open space by soldering it in only one place. Today this design method is more common, but in the early 1960s, it was virtually unheard of to suspend stones in such a manner. Pictured above right is a piece from Lynne's equine collection entitled 'Morita".
Custom and limited editions designs 
Today Lynne continues to use fully original designs. Her pieces are full of action and reflect her hands-on experience with horses and dogs. Lynne's custom pieces use precious and semi-precious stones and fine metals, primarily 14K and 10K gold. Lynne routinely uses both white gold and yellow gold. 10K gold is approximately 30% less expensive than 14K gold, somewhat less golden in color, and slightly stronger. However 14K remain the most popular choice due to its richness. In more recent years, in response to the rising cost of fine metals, Lynne has started using DE-OX sterling silver as well as gold, and this choice allows consumers to purchase fine handmade Lynne Shpak pieces at a more affordable price. One of the hallmarks of Lynne's designs is the unique way of attaching center pieces into the necklaces or chains which allows the centerpiece to be worn as either a pendant or a pin, making for a great deal of versatility. Since the centerpiece is removable, the necklace or chain can also be worn alone. In the beginning of her career, Lynne made only one-of-a-kind pieces. However, in the last twenty years, she has developed an extensive collection of equine and canine jewelry designs that are produced as limited editions in sterling silver. There are three basic design types in the horse and dog jewelry collections. Some pieces, such as "Morita" pictured at the top of this page, are cut-outs or "linear silhouettes". Others, such as the golden retriever pictured immediately above, are solid or "sculptural" pieces. The third type, not pictured, would be a silhouette cut out of a solid piece of metal.
Beautiful, distinctive and original 
Lynne has superb artistic talent and skill, coupled with the eye of a true horse person and dog lover. In addition to her original collection of fine equine and canine jewelry, Lynne makes a wide variety of custom one-of-a-kind pieces using fine gemstones and gold, and has a talent for creating a jewelry item for an individual that suits their look and style. Please visit the pages of this site to view beautiful examples of gold and silver horse jewelry, dog jewelry, and custom jewelry ideas for the most discerning collector of fine jewelry. If you have a passion for a specific equine sport, you will love Lynne's equine jewelry collection which includes dressage, carriage, racing, hunting, and eventing horse jewelry. Being a Morgan lover, there is also a wide selection of jewelry styled after the Morgan horse. Lynne's canine jewelry collection includes fine pieces representing many breeds. If you don't see your horse or dog breed or discipline represented, or would like something just a little different, a custom piece can be designed for you.