The materials I use are as important as the work itself. This is my “why”…

At a relatively young age, Maressa Tosto Merwarth discovered her passion for metalsmithing while studying in Italy.  What she brought back from Florence was a vision of a collection that would meld jewelry with sculpture, works that would push the boundaries between wearable vs. non-wearable, precious vs. non-precious and even craft vs. fine art.  
After completing her BFA at Syracuse University, Merwarth began working at a small fine jewelry manufacturer and later earned her MFA in metals from the Rochester Institute of Technology.  In these formative years, she explored her creative abilities, fine tuned her technical skills and began pushing boundaries in design.  Drawn to commonplace shapes and materials and inspired by nature and architecture, the designer stretched her creativity to imagine hidden stories in her designs.  After several years in the industry, Merwarth formed her own company, Mari Tome, to focus on custom, unique design and her art-based jewelry line.
Today, Maressa Tosto Merwarth draws inspiration for her jewelry designs from the nature and the situations that surround her at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, where she and her family live and work. 

Look who's talking...

Vogue.com

THE BEST JEWELRY FOR FALL IS LIGHT ON STATEMENTS, HEAVY ON CHIC

OCTOBER 20, 2015

"...Take your black ribbed turtleneck, for example - that ubiquitous, beloved fall standard. Now take out those teeny opal studs perennially in your ears - I know, your birthstone, but let's face it, those little flecked sparklers offer all the mystique and gravity of a middle-school graduation present. They're emotional but unserious, and add a higher pitch and touch of uptalk to any otherwise semiserious outfit. Now try Mari Tome's on for size. See? The conversation's the same, but its timbre is noticeably deeper.

For full story go to www.vogue.com/13362451/statement-jewelry-trends-fall-2015/

Some Ideas For The Perfect Mother’s Day Gifts

April 30, 2015

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Mother’s Day arrives the second Sunday in May, and time is ticking for those scrambling to find a perfect gift.

CBS2’s Cindy Hsu went out Thursday to out what moms really want.

...For jewelry lovers, Maressa Tosto Merwarth of Mari Tome Jewelry Design offered a personal twist.

“What I’ve done is that I’ve taken some of those things like buttons or lace, and turn them into actual jewelry, so you can turn them into a real heirloom that you’d like to pass along,” she said.

For full story and video link go to http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/04/30/mothers-day-gifts/

AJDC New Talent Contest Winner

Maressa Tosto Merwarth was recently named Winner of the American Jewelry Design Council's annual New Talent Contest.  Contest Chair Alan Revere noted "this year's winner has a very appealing architectural approach to making jewelry.  The work follows the adage “form follows function' in a refreshingly contemporary manner".