Born in Minneapolis, Minn., Kathryn Kinev moved to Atlanta with her family at an early age. She attended Georgia State University and earned a bachelor of arts degree in fine arts, specializing in jewelry design and silversmithing. At GSU she discovered metalworking. “Once my hands touched metal, I never wanted to do anything else but design jewelry,” said Kinev, who studied under Professor Richard Mafong.

Kinev began her professional career working for Atlanta-area jewelers. She opened Jewel Creations in her apartment in 1982. She incorporated Jewel Creations and moved to Buckhead on Peachtree Road in 1985. During this period she discovered the unique art of granulation and chain making, which had been of interest to her since her GSU days. She was inspired by the work of Smithsonian artist John Paul Miller of the Cleveland Institute of Art and attended classes with Jean Stark. Kinev studied ancient jewelry technology in London in 2005.

Kinev is known for her strengths in creating original designs, fabricating, casting and stone setting. She works in platinum, 18K and 22K, including granulation.

She is a graduate gemologist and an Alumni member of the Gemological Institute of America. She is a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. She is a current member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers and president of the Georgia Chapter of the Gemological Institute of America.