Jewelry designer Erica Zap has been surrounded by art and craft all her life. Her parents owned an international handcraft shop that sold crafts and art collected from their extensive travels around the world. Erica's early exposure to exotic art and culture has greatly influenced her designs.

After graduating from S.U.N.Y. New Paltz with a BFA in gold and silversmithing, Erica began designing her own line of jewelry which is produced in Newport, Rhode Island and sold nationally under the name Erica Zap Designs. Her company store in Newport, The Erica Zap Collection, features her jewelry as well as other unique handcrafted items.

"My goal is to design a contemporary look which exposes beauty through the simplicity of form. My jewelry reflects the integration of past and present cultures. I use metals, stones, textures, shapes and color to create precious pieces that are as individual as the women who wear them."