Wendy Brandes is a woman with a strong sense of style, and she ain't afraid to show it! Her jewelry is bold with a sense of whimsy and each piece is inspired by a strong female figure from history.  Her collections encapsulate what it means to be a woman in the truest sense; in turn feminine and daring, creative and resourceful.  Hardly surprising then, that a pair of her snake earrings were chosen by stylists to be worn by Samantha in the new Sex and the City 2 movie. Here, she answers some questions about her work.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

18K yellow gold -always with a matte finish.

What is your favorite design, and is this your best seller?

It's hard to pick a favorite among my children, but I do have a special love for my onyx skull ring with tsavorite. It's one-of-a-kind. Right now my best seller is my sterling silver swear ring set.

How did you first get into jewelry art in general?

Once I designed a couple of pieces for myself, I became addicted.

Can you tell us more about the themes that run through your jewelry?

Many of my pieces are inspired by queens and other royal ladies. The element of surprise is always important. I have mechanical pieces that open up, twist into new shapes and even whistle. You can't tell by looking at them that they're going to do all those tricks. My rings also have an unusual heft that amazes people. They're used to picking up pieces that look large but feel as light as aluminum foil. Meanwhile, my Nuit ring uses over an ounce of gold.

What do you have planned for future collections?

Even more amazing tricks!

Do you get more excited about the design or technical aspects of jewelry art?

It's a combination. Design without extraordinary technique is not interesting to me.

Can you name another jewelry designer whose work you admire?

The 16th century's Hans Holbein.

Do you find the process of experimentation frustrating or inspiring?

I used to be worried if I couldn't make a mechanical piece work on the first try, but now I know that it will eventually work out and I'll probably get some new ideas along the way.

Do you prefer doing retail or trade events?

I love selling directly to the customer and seeing how happy she is with her new piece.

If you could have any jewelry super-power to help you with your jewelry what would it be?  (Perhaps flame throwing hands to fire your pieces quickly?  Mind reading for your customers? Extra arms?  :) 

I would use my mental powers to make the price of gold go down! I remember a few years ago, I was terrified when gold was poised to go over $700 an ounce. Now it's over $1,100 an ounce. The $700 level is looking good now.

Wendy's jewelry is available to buy online at www.wendybrandes.com

The blog where she writes about her designs and inspirations, as well as fashion, history and any other topic that strikes her is http://wendybrandes.com/blog/  (and well worth a read.)

You can also find her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/WendyBrandesJewelry or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WendyBrandes