About Us

 

 

Our Mission

Lireille is a modern gallery that carries contemporary jewelry and fine arts and crafts from emerging and acclaimed local and international artists. Established in 2005 with a short and successful experiment at its first location showcasing only the founder's designs, one designer from Italy and one from South Africa, Lireille moved to its current location in 2007. The bright and spacious new location enables the gallery to showcase 40-plus jewelry artists beautifully and periodically hold various art exhibits from local artists. Focusing on original designs in contemporary jewelry, fine arts, and crafts, the gallery has been supporting many women, minorities, and immigrant-run small businesses and connecting the public with their creativity, craftsmanship, and passion for creating original art for over a decade. Please sign up with Lireille for updates on new work and artists and get informed about our upcoming exhibits.

Our carefully curated, finely crafted, unique, and artful collection of engagement rings and wedding bands are hand-made by our artists from their studio or our jewelers, with experience expanding from 25-40 years. If you love the unique and great design that speaks individuality and quality work, please come to view our original and individually hand-crafted artisanal wedding bands and engagement ring collection. Every ring here is a piece of wearable art.

Known for design and style and equipped with years of experience in the jewelry and gemstone trade before its establishment in 2005, Lireille is also your top choice for custom designs .

About Staff:

The Founder: With 5 years of prior experience in jewelry before starting Lireille and keen eye on design and style, Yan Liu established Lireille in the year 2005 showcasing her own designs along with one designer from Italy and one from South Africa. She then moved the business to its current location in 2007.  Yan Liu is a jewelry designer with MBA from San Francisco State University in Marketing and Information Technology. With passion in design and art, it is her privilege working with many talented artists, mostly women, minority, or immigrants from around the world running their own studio or small business operations, to connect their creativity and passion for design and craftsmanship with the public. 

The Director: Monica Schmid is a metalsmith artist. Born and raised in Switzerland, she studied fashion design and garment engineering and graduated from Zürich’s Textile College. After studying Spanish language and culture at the University of Madrid, Spain she settled in the Bay Area. For many years, Monica designed and engineered patterns for the garment industry, including 9 years at Levi Strauss.  Her interest in jewelry design started in 1986 when her brother sent her an exquisite emerald from Colombia. Displeased with the available commercial designs she gave up on the idea of ever wearing this stone. Years later she took a jewelry making class and as her first project incorporated the emerald. What started as a hobby soon turned into a passion. Monica studied at the California State University East Bay in Hayward and graduated with High Distinction with a BFA degree in jewelry and metal arts from California College of the Arts in Oakland, California. She joined the gallery in 2007 and in charge of artist intake and event curation. For artists who are interested in showcasing at Lireille Gallery, please contact Monica Schmid.