Saori was born in Japan and began her artistic career at a young age when she discovered a love for the piano and for classical music. The delicate flow of classical pieces became a lasting influence, and can be seen in the subtle curves and shapes of many of her pieces. As she got older, Saori began to develop an interest in European and American culture. She attended Miyazaki University in Miyazaki, Japan, majoring in American studies. While at the university, she spent a year studying in the United States at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. After returning to Japan for a few years, she came back to America to marry her long-time boyfriend in Seattle.

It was here that Saori rediscovered her artistic talents. After an unsuccessful search one Christmas for a gift for a good friend, she decided that she would make her own. The small silver and garnet necklace drew such praise, both from her friend and from her friend's friends, that Saori kept making them. Soon she began selling them, first to friends and then to local stores. She studied with well-known local artist and metalsmith Lynne Hull, learning traditional metalsmithing and jewelry-making techniques and developing her own unique styles. She has never looked back.

Saori's pieces have been sold in several fine boutiques and specialty stores in the Seattle area, including:

Fini
86 Pine Street, Inn at the Market
Seattle WA, 98101

"Saori's jewelry incorporates unique design with superior craftsmanship. Designers often possess one of these skills while lacking the other. When the two come together, as in Saori's work, the results are extraordinary." -Peggy Poage, Fini

Cicada
1121 1st Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101

Olivine Atelier
5344 Ballard Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107

Visit Saori's site at this link,