French Teacher by Day, Jewelry Artist at Night

Sylvie Martinet-Kostrzewski loves to travel. The Falls Church-based artist visits exotic lands with her husband, who is in the travel business. She is particularly enamored of India and Morocco. “We travel a lot [to both countries] and that has really influenced my work,” she said. “Everything in Morocco and India is very colorful.”

Kostrzewski makes mixed-media paper jewelry. Her jewelry line, Papier de Jadis, includes long necklaces, playful bracelets and elegant dangle earrings all in vibrant colors. The artist gives different shapes to her beads, often by covering wire or other materials with paper. No two items in her collection are alike.

“Before I was just working with paper,” she said. “Now I try to use other beads and wire. I really try to mix paper with other things.”

Many of her chunky necklaces and dramatic dangle earrings look heavy but are refreshingly lightweight. “People usually like my jewelry because it’s so light,” she said. “When they lift it they are surprised by how light it is.”

The artist’s work is on display and for sale at on Hummer Road. She joined the gallery 13 years ago as a paper mache artist. “I made decorative objects like vases, plates and mirrors,” she said. “I liked it very much but it wasn’t selling. One day, I decided to try to make some jewelry using paper.”

Kostrzewski said that being a member of the gallery has really encouraged her to hone her craft and discover more about paper. “I’d like to learn more in the field of paper, even if it’s not jewelry,” she said. “I would like to learn to make my own paper and I definitely want to see what else I can do with it.”

Fellow gallery member recently purchased one of Kostrzewski’s bracelets. “I love the interplay of black wire wrapping, green beads and multi-hued handmade paper beads,” Lund said of the bracelet. “It’s a very fun piece to wear that will always remind me of her. [Sylvie] is the set-up chair of the gallery and does a very nice job changing pieces of art in the displays and adds new items on an ongoing basis. She has a positive outlook on life and is nice to be around.”

Kostrzewski moved to the United States with her husband 24 years ago. She grew up in a small town in central France near Bourges. The artist worked as a nurse in France and then spent her first few years in the States raising her daughter. She now teaches French to elementary school students in Fairfax County.

“In the summer, I have more time to myself and to relax my head,” she said. “I can really concentrate on making jewelry.”