Christian Wortham of Monarch Masterpieces

I’m Christian, a true Texan with North Carolina & New York running through my veins. After being diagnosed with class IV lupus nephritis my freshman year at the illustrious NCCU, I became eager to educate myself & others about lupus by joining the support group of Durham, becoming a collegiate awareness advocate, participating in fundraising walks, & volunteering with the Lupus Foundation of America. But wait, my journey with lupus did not start off this easy, let alone by me wanting to advocate for it. It was painful, confusing, anxiety-building, and sometimes, very lonely. My love & appreciation for jewelry-making began when I interned for a beloved designer jewelry in Dallas the summer of my sophomore year. The act of designing, crafting, & gifting pieces that allowed others to express their creativity, embrace their personalities, & bring them joy truly brought me joy. It was hard, detailed work but I loved it all. It became a form of self-care. After the summer, I continued to make jewelry for my family & friends as gifts. In the midst of medical treatment, I became more interested & intrigued by holistic wellness & after learning how to incorporate different forms of healing into my pieces, my love for working with natural crystals & stones developed. Fast forward a many of seasons, a many of changes, & a quite a bit of determination, & Monarch Masterpieces is spreading its wings!