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I really like to make things...
I learned to make jewelry in college while studying abroad in San
Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I took the class on a whim thinking it
would be a fun thing to try on the side, while pursuing a more ‘serious’
education as a painter. I knew I was hooked on the jewely making
when I was dreaming about soldering little bits of metal and hadn’t
picked up a paintbrush in months. But there was no jewelry program
at my school when I got back, so I finished up college with a focus
on mixed media work.
In 2000, I moved to Portland with a studio art degree and no idea
what to do with the rest of my life. After stints as temp, tile
shipper, and art teacher, I still hadn’t found something that
felt like it really fit. I kept thinking about that damn jewelry…
I still had a little stash of silver left over from my time in Mexico,
so I pulled it out, taught myself to cut glass, and got to work.
By the fall of 2002 I had kissed my steady job goodbye and Smallthings
was born. Now I get to be my own boss and make jewelry all day,
and I love it. Each and every one of my pieces is laid out, cut
and soldered by hand and that’s not going change. It’s
a lot of work sometimes, but it’s this process that keeps
me engaged, connected to and excited about what I do everyday. I
think I really have found my dream job… |
