Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths

Erin harris calls herself a “sentimental metalsmith” because that is what she specializes in: sentimental work in metal. Her work features both literal sentiment via the words and phrases she etches into blooming flowers and hinged butterflies, as well as the more intangible emotions evoked in personalized lockets and memorial reliquary. 

“I’m inspired by both nature and nostalgia, by love and by loss.  I work in metal, taking something cold and hard and imbuing it with warmth and heart.”

Although Erin holds a masters degree in social work, her work for more than a decade has been a different kind of creative social-work, oriented around connecting with others and creating customized, personal, one-of-a-kind jewelry to honor life’s milestones and memories.

Her jewelry-making journey began with the loss of a wonderful dog, as she looked for ways to remember him and process her grief. Creating a piece of jewelry helped her feel a physical connection to his memory, and she’s been helping others make similar journeys ever since.

Erin has worked with renowned metal clay artist and teacher Celie Fago, both as apprentice and assistant, since 2009 and has worked with metalsmith Richard Salley as a workshop assistant. She taught elementary art for grades Pre-K through 8th for several years, and has taught metalsmithing and metal-clay classes to both children and adults since 2008.  Erin lives in Berlin, VT with her spouse and furry companions.

Instagram: @elmharris

Website: www.elmharris.com

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

Tracey Carswell is the founder of Powerful in Pink and co-founder of Queer Metalsmiths. They work with artists, creatives, and small business owners to support their growth and development. Tracey shares their journey into metalsmithing and their passion for creating jewelry. They also discuss the importance of community support and collaboration in their work. Tracey created Queer Metalsmiths to provide a platform for LGBTQIA+ metal smiths and jewelry artists to showcase their work and support each other. They highlight the unique challenges faced by queer, non-binary, and trans artists in the metalsmithing community and discuss ways to recognize and support underrepresented and marginalized artists. Tracey Carswell discusses the importance of creating safe and inclusive spaces, starting with using pronouns and respecting gender identities. They emphasize the need for open conversations and the willingness to make mistakes and learn from them. Tracey also shares their inspiration behind Powerful in Pink, a community organization that supports queer metal smiths, and their vision for the future of the organization. They encourage individuals to find their passion, connect with existing communities, and take the first steps towards building their own community.

Bio...

Tracey Carswell (they/them) is a queer non-binary coach, curator, artist, and educator dedicated to building inclusive communities and promoting equity. They are the founder of Powerful in Pink, a brand that offers coaching, small business support, curation services, and community-building opportunities for artists and entrepreneurs. 
Tracey also co-founded Queer Metalsmiths, a community space that honors, centers, and uplifts 2SLGBTQIA+ jewelers and metalsmiths. Through their work as the founder and former President of the Miami chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association, as well as their work with PiP and Queer Metalsmiths, they invest in the growth and success of women, femme, queer, transgender, and gender non-conforming leaders in the jewelry and craft industries. 

PiP Website: https://www.traceycarswell.com

PiP Instagram: @powerfulinpinkbytlc

QM Website: https://www.queermetalsmiths.com

QM Instagram: @queermetalsmiths

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

Emily Joyce, an enamelist, sculptor, and jewelry maker, discusses her creative process and balancing her work with being a teacher and a mom. She shares her love for mechanisms and creating playful, nostalgic pieces. Emily talks about her struggles with displaying her work at art festivals and her desire to explore new techniques. She also offers one-on-one classes to teach others and finds inspiration from other metalsmiths. Emily discusses her daily routine and the challenges of marketing and staying consistent on social media. In this conversation, Christine and Emily discuss the challenges of consistency and engagement on Instagram, the struggle to balance creativity with the business side of being an artist, and the importance of finding your own unique style. They also talk about the desire for gallery representation and teaching at craft schools. Emily shares her favorite pieces and her goals for the future.

Bio...

Emily Joyce is a vitreous enamelist, sculptor, and art studio instructor from Cleveland, Ohio. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Enameling from The Cleveland Institute of Art and earned a Master in Arts Education from Case Western Reserve University. Emily’s work is a thoughtful balance of playfulness and humor from her experience as an art teacher and as a student. She is currently interested in exploring the mechanisms of equipment found on playgrounds and how the undermanaged and immensely imaginative time spent on the playgrounds helps to shape us into adults.

Follow Emily...

Instagram: @emilyjoyceofficial

Website: www.emilyejoyce.com

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

Kristen Kendrick Bigley, a metalsmith and owner of KKB Metal Studio with a fine arts background, shares her journey to metalsmithing and the influence of her artistic family. She discusses her transition from sculpture to jewelry-making and the challenges of working with different mediums. Kristen also talks about the importance of community and mentorship in her creative process. She shares her experience with imposter syndrome and the balance between her jewelry-making and her full-time job. Kristen emphasizes the value of utilizing available resources and pushing oneself to explore new techniques. Living a creative life means exploring and being curious, regardless of whether it's a full-time profession or a hobby. Embracing the title of 'artist' can be a journey of self-acceptance and finding one's unique artistic voice. The challenges of balancing a creative business with other responsibilities and finding a niche in the market. The importance of community and connections in the metalsmithing and creative community. The value of embracing imperfections and unexpected moments in the creative process. The role of Instagram in building a supportive and inspiring community of artists.

Kristen's Website: kkbmetalstudio.com

Follow Kristen on Instagram: @kkbmetalstudio

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

Anya first stumbled across the opportunity to learn the craft of metal smithing while traveling solo in India for 6 months in 2016. Little did she know that her love for the craft would deepen and grow over the years to turn into her own small business of WabiSabi Silver. Anya is committed to living a joyful life that centers around sustainability. She is currently a part of a team that is at the beginning stage of building a natural building/permaculture educational site where her yurt and newly built straw bale art studio live. Her efforts towards sustainability show up in her creations through the stones she chooses and through recycling and reclaiming metals. It also shows up in her creative process, taking time to recharge and spark inspiration through the purposeful work of building community and reciprocal relationship with the land. 

Anya has always loved crafting and building things with her hands and particularly enjoys the meditative quality required of the process. Her hope is to offer pieces infused with a deep care and sweetness that can be felt by the wearer.

To find out more about the sustainable building and permaculture education project Anya spoke of please visit ⁠⁠earthvilleinstitute.org⁠⁠

You can follow Anya and see her beautiful work at the links below.

Instagram: @wabisabi_silver

Website: wabisabisilver.com

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

In this episode, Christine Mighion talks with Liz Kantner and Laryssa Wirstiuk about marketing for independent jewelry artists. They discuss the challenges of marketing, the importance of branding, and strategies for building a strong brand presence. They emphasize the need for consistency, knowing your audience, and focusing on the bigger picture. They also address the common challenges of time management and the right time to invest in marketing. As the conversation continues Liz and Laryssa touch on the significance of email marketing and the need to nurture and connect with the audience on a personal level. They advise artists to focus on storytelling and authenticity in their emails rather than just promoting their products. Finally, they discuss the challenges of building engagement and community and share insights from their podcast, Success With Jewelry, and their membership program.

The Joy Joya Jewelry Brand Incubator Grant

The winner of the grant will receive $18,000 worth of marketing support for six months completely free. Other opportunities are available for grant finalists. The deadline to enter is Friday, July 12th. JewelryBrandIncubator.com⁠

You can follow along with Liz & Laryssa with the links below:

SuccessWithJewelry.com

@successwithjewelry

JoyJoya.com

@joyjoyamarketing

LizKantner.com

@liz_kantner

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

Tracey Timmons is an exhibiting artist and metalsmith who creates one of kind pieces of jewelry. She has been metalsmithing for about 10 years and is mostly self-guided, learning through books, videos, and trial and error. Tracey participates in art shows and exhibits her work, preferring the in-person experience where people can see and touch her creations.

Tracey has recently been accepted to exhibit at the Smithsonian Craft2Wear show, which is a major accomplishment for her and she is super excited to create a special body of work for the show.

Like many of us, Tracey faces challenges as a jewelry artist, including occasional feelings of inferiority due to not having a formal arts education. However, she has gained confidence in her abilities and has found her niche in creating one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces inspired by nature, particularly blooms, butterflies, and botanical elements. Tracey values the textures, layers, and colors in her work and enjoys the imperfections and balance she can achieve.

In this conversation, Tracey discusses her approach to creating jewelry and the importance of staying true to herself as an artist. She shares how she balances the desire to sell her work with the freedom to create what she truly loves. Tracey also talks about the role of social media in her business and the challenges of pricing her work. She emphasizes the importance of being part of an art community and shares her goals for the future.

Instagram: @traceytimmonsjewelry

Website: www.traceytimmons.com

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

I’ve sat here for a bit thinking about what I wanted to say about today’s guest. Jen Prox-Weisblat who may be better known by her business name Prox or ProxArtist, is someone I’ve known and admired for a very long time.

Being the complete stone geek that I am, when I first saw Kimberly Huestis’s jewelry my first thought was “wow, those stones are so cool!” and of course I wondered what they were. As I combed through her gorgeous IG profile It didn’t take long to realize that many of those “quote stones” were not stones at all, but beautiful porcelain cabochons that Kim lovingly handcrafts herself. 

Almost instantly I  became enamored with Kim’s work and I knew I wanted to her with you. Kim is not only a very skilled ceramic artist and metalsmith, she also has a background in architecture, photography, and a love design and tech. All of this flows seamlessly through her work, her presence and her website. Oh…and she does cab some of her own gemstones too. 

I hope you all enjoy a little time in the sunshine this week, but for now grab your favorite drink and be prepared to be inspired as you listen to my conversation with the very talented Kimberly Huestis.

More about Kimberly...

Kimberly takes her design inspiration from the coastal lifestyle and Taiwanese/Scottish heritage, and interweaves those natural influences into her sculptural designs. In many cases it may be a design nod in the general vein of nautical ideas or a hint at ocean waves. With her background in hand-and-hammer rock carving, along with many years as a professional building design architect and environmental consultant, this has greatly informed her design approach.

Instagram: @porcelainandstone

Website: porcelainandstone.com

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

You can follow along or reach out to Christine on Instagram: @christinemighion or send her an email at: [email protected]

Chris Anderson took a very different path into working with metal, yet the fit was undeniably perfect. I'm not going to give all the details away, but after retiring from law enforcement, Chris decided to put all of his energy into his business, Lion Punch Forge.

I was so thrilled when Chris agreed to take some time out of his very busy schedule to have a conversation with me. He shared is journey from blacksmithing to silver and goldsmithing, and then ultimately to where he has now landed inventing and fabricating innovative tools for metalsmiths. Chris talks about his belief in the need for mental toughness in building a successful business because the entrepreneurial journey has many ups and downs. Later we talk about the creation of the Metalsmith Collective, a cooperative market for tool makers, educators in the jewelry industry, and fabricators of materials such as castings and gemstones.

About Chris...

Chris is an enthusiastic maker turned inventor who has honed his skills through self-teaching and the invaluable guidance of inspiring mentors he encountered along his journey.

Raised in the scenic Pacific Northwest, he developed a profound affinity for the outdoors, which serves as a wellspring of inspiration for his creative endeavors. 

In 2016, Chris founded Lion Punch Forge as a hobby, after he, his brother (Bruce), and father (Mike) purchased a coal-fired blacksmith shop.

Having retired from a 20+ year career in public safety in 2020, Chris now devotes himself to running Lion Punch Forge full-time as a self-employed entrepreneur.

With a background as an instructor in public safety realm Chris has transitioned that role into his new position as a teacher and mentor within the metal arts and creative communities.

To learn more about Chris, Lion Punch Forge, and the Metalsmith Collective follow him at the links below.

Instagram: @lionpunchforge

Website: lionpunchforge.com

Metalsmith Collective

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!

You can follow along or reach out to Christine on Instagram: @christinemighion or send her an email at: [email protected]