About Šepkus at Studio Jewelers
This website has grown out of our in-house “Šepkus Salon”, the collection of Alex’s work that we offer our customers – one of the largest in the world. Our intention is to be a full-service online jewelry store that reflects Alex’s traditionalist ethic, providing personalized service and consultation before you buy. We want to hear from you, to offer you the unique story of the piece you are considering and help you make the best choice possible. If you have questions about any of the pieces you see here, give us a call. We’re here Monday thru Friday, 10 am to 5 pm CST and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm CST at (608) 257-2627. If we’re not here to accept your call, email us at studiojewelers@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
About Alex Šepkus
Born and educated in Lithuania, Alex Šepkus was granted political asylum in 1988 and emigrated to escape the tyranny of the Soviet occupation. In 1991, working in the back room at a jewelry firm in New York, Alex’s genius was “discovered” by colleague Jeffrey Feero, and the next year the two formed a fledgling partnership to launch a small line of Alex’s intricate and immaculately crafted jewelry. Talent, commitment and hard work took root in America, and today Alex Šepkus is one of the most-recognized and respected names in American jewelry design.
Alex listed as influences literature, medieval church floors, koi ponds, stone paths, Plato’s ideal forms, and work he had done in landscape design. As these diverse interests suggest, the creativity and joy that flowed from Alex’s life still make his work unique and not easily classified. He was a very private person who lived simply in a century-old renovated farmhouse in upstate New York with his wife, photographer Dange Sirvyte. His small studio there, overlooking the Hudson River and many acres of woodland, was where he created and refined the “first editions” that would become part of his line.
Alex Šepkus died at home on September 5th, 2021, from complications of lymphoma. He was 67 years old. Alex’s work and legacy continues undimmed. Jeff Feero, Alex’s dear friend and business partner, is still at the helm of the company, and the Šepkus team of master jewelers insures that Alex’s vision and creative goals continue to be met.
“Demand for his work world-wide has only accelerated since his death,” says Feero. “Fortunately, in addition to all of his original models, Alex left an extraordinary archive of previously unreleased work that will keep his artistic vision alive and thriving for years to come.”
Šepkus: pronunciation
The diacritical mark above the S in Alex’s name is called a hachek (or háĉek) and indicates a “SH” pronunciation in Balkan and Slavic languages. So those in the know say “Shep-kus”.
Click on this photo for more about Alex’s design process (short video from 2019)
Click on the photo below for a 3 minute video of the Šepkus shop in action.
