Jeweler Kellie Riggs may be a Seattle native, but her heart (and creative spark) thrives in Italy, specifically Florence and Rome, where she has lived off and on since 2010, when she was there for a European honors program through the Rhode Island School of Design. “Italy is beautiful and amazing,” says Rome-based Riggs. “Things move at a different pace (usually much slower), which I seem to generally agree with.” Her current collection, Le Chiese di Roma, is composed of bronze bracelets, earrings and rings, plated with sterling silver and 24K gold, and inspired by the intricate architecture, interiors and motifs found in the collection’s namesake Renaissance- and Baroque-era palazzos and churches. Substantial yet delicate, daring yet totally wearable, Riggs’ work exists at the intersection where past meets present and classic meets modern. Available at craftandculture.com, a local online shop for indie designers.