(PRWEB) July 26, 2006 -- Ananda Khalsa Jewelry of Providence, RI is the winner of the 2006 Halstead Bead Business Development Grant for Bridge Jewelry, a national award presented to one new jewelry designer each year.

We were looking for a fresh designer that had the complete package of design talent and business acumen Ananda Khalsa designs incorporate tiny original paintings into sterling silver jewelry accented with gold, crystal and gemstones. Her work is inspired by Asian art and natural forms. Each piece is designed to communicate a quiet grace as well as rich cultural symbolism. The jewelry features clean lines and simple elegance, while maintaining evidence of the human hand.

Khalsa’s work has a worldly flavor that is sure to appeal to sophisticated women of many ages. Her pieces provide a unique focal point to casual or formal ensembles and attract a great deal of attention. An Ananda Khalsa design takes jewelry as an art form to a new level since each one incorporates the best of both handcrafted jewelry and original fine art.

"I am so thrilled and honored ... this could not come at a better time," said Khalsa in response to the grant award. She will receive $6,000 in cash and merchandise as part of the prize package. She intends to use these funds to expand her business by hiring production assistants and exhibiting in national wholesale shows. You can already find her work for sale at many boutiques around the nation and at www.anandakhalsa.com.

Khalsa has always been an artist in a variety of media and began making jewelry in 2002 when she took a metalsmithing class in Colorado. In 2004, Khalsa began focusing on her jewelry as a business and promoting her designs to galleries and stores around the country.

The Halstead Bead Business Grant is a launch pad for new jewelry brands in the fashionable "bridge" jewelry market. Bridge jewelry fills the gap between fine and costume jewelry. It is characterized by moderately priced precious metals like silver and copper along with embellishments such as semi-precious stones, pearls and crystal. Halstead Bead is a wholesale supplier of materials to the bridge jewelry industry.

Applicants from all over the United States vied for the grant. Designers submitted extensive application packets that included a design portfolio, resume, essay questions and business plans. "We were looking for a fresh designer that had the complete package of design talent and business acumen," said Halstead Bead Marketing Director Hilary Scott. "Ananda brings a new style to the jewelry market and she has the business mind to take her label to the national level and be very successful."