In the 84th episode of Perceived Value, host Sarah Rachel Brown records from Bogotá, Colombia, where she visits Materia Prima Escuela de Joyería, a jewelry school founded in 2015 by Linda Margarita Sánchez Méndez and Tatiana Apráez. What began as two friends sharing tools and rent has grown into a vibrant creative hub for jewelers, ceramicists, and artists across Latin America.

In this conversation, Linda and Tatiana reflect on the origins of their school, the challenges of sustaining an independent art space, and the lessons learned through a decade of growth—surviving the pandemic, moving into Tatiana’s historic home, and building a community rooted in generosity and collaboration.

Looking ahead, they share their hopes for Materia Prima’s next chapter: artist residencies, international exchanges, and new ways to celebrate Colombia’s rich jewelry traditions.

📍 CONNECTOR: Jewelry as a Language of Connection opens November 15, 2025, at Gallery Loupe in Montclair, New Jersey—just ahead of New York City Jewelry Week.

🎧 This episode is sponsored by SNAG Metalsmith, the publication of the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG). Subscribe and save 25% with code VALUE25 at snagmetalsmith.org.

FOLLOW YOUR HOST @sarahrachelbrown

FOLLOW THE PODCAST @perceivedvalue