Boardman man's stunning art born of his disability

BOARDMAN

Steven A. Dailey describes the jewelry he creates as “wearable art.”

He puts every natural gemstone, bead, pearl, shell, crystal and glass piece in place with creativity and patience. “Every design is one of a kind,” he said.

Dailey is self-taught in jewelry-making; he has an associate degree in merchandising and design.

Physical challenges play a role in his endeavor. He was born with spina bifida, a birth defect that happens when a the spinal columnof a baby n the womb does not completely close. At 43, he had back surgery and became disabled permanently. He sometimes uses a wheelchair or a cane because he has nerve damage and chronic pain.

Dailey said the process of making jewelry benefits him in a therapeutic way. “It gets me out of my head,” he said, noting that having chronic pain often leads to depression. The jewelry-making is an outlet that puts his creativity to use and focuses his attention. “I work on jewelry four to five hours a day,” he said.

Read more about his life and his art in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.