We are Peter and Mi-Shell Jessen from Bearpaw Jewellery in Bracebridge, Ontario.

Most of our designs celebrate the grace and beauty of wild animals. Others attempt to capture the spiritual essence of what it is to be human. And then there are those, that show the process of transformation from animal to Spirit to human - or back, that is so often the focus of native myth, world mythology, lore and legends.

We live in a shamanistic world view: Everything is alive, has a Spirit, speaks and therefore has a story to tell.... Our pieces tell these stories !

Peter's work as a Jeweller is a journey of inspiration and growth. The subjects of his art are found right outside of his workshop window, overlooking a beaver pond amidst the Canadian bush and all its wild inhabitants. Many of these naturally drift up to the house presenting themselves as new inspirations to be transformed into wearable archetypal art .

In his free time Peter loves to read, hike into the bush, canoe, observe wildlife and meet with friends. His main interests are Anthropology, Pre-history and most of all Rupestrian Art = Petroglyphs and Pictographs from around the world. All of these interests are sources of inspiration for Peter's art.

Mi-Shell is probably best known as one half of Bearpaw Jewellery, but primarily, she works as a shaman / healer in Muskoka and Southern Ontario. She is a Registered Nurse and a Jungian Therapist by training, but, first and foremost, she is following in the footsteps of her grandmother, the healer-shaman of her tribe, the Urianshai, in Siberia.

Mi-Shell has practiced, taught and used shamanism and shamanic healing pathways with her patients, clients, in schools, Pow-Wows and the health care system. She leads circles and gatherings that focus on teaching, healing, ritual, drums and drumming, human growth and well-being.

Bearpaw Jewellery is a means for her to translate the mysteries experienced in trance and visions into tangible reality and to share it all with her community. Her shamanic Medicine pouches, ritual tools and other mixed media art are unique and sought after by collectors.

One of the most important tools of a Medicine Woman is the drum, the heartbeat of Mother Earth and the heartbeat and voice of our soul. Mi- Shell creates drums and leads the weekly local community drum circle as well as several frame drum circles.