Ellen Reiben, bored in Syracuse, NY, became interested in art jewelry during her junior year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She went onto receive her MFA in metalsmithing and jewelry from the Rochester Institute of Technology School for American Crafts. Considered a leader in avant-garde jewelry fabrication, Reiben experiments with epoxy resins, machining, and innovative handwork in a mixture of plastic and traditional materials. Reiben currently heads Jewelers'Werk Galerie, founded by Dutch jewelry Joke Van Ommen, in Washington, D.C.