Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths

Karla Hackman’s path into metalsmithing began in the most unexpected of ways—through a background in academia, ceramics, and a love of collecting stones on long hikes. Karla eventually traded in a steady career in higher education for the leap into jewelry, and over the last twelve years she’s built a body of work that balances the organic and the architectural, the soft and the strong. In our con...

Stacey Hareid is a self-taught metalsmith who’s been carving out her own path for more than a decade, teaching herself fabrication, stone setting, and even lapidary along the way. More recently she’s been diving into wax carving and casting — a process that’s been both exciting and, as she shares, incredibly humbling. In our conversation, Stacey opens up about her journey from photography into met...

Chela Gurnee is a metalsmith, shamanic practitioner, hypnotherapist, and reiki healer—and she’s one of those rare people who allows herself to follow what’s calling, even when it doesn’t fit into a tidy box. We talk about how her love of creating beauty with her hands led her to jewelry, her love of stones and how the stones themselves guided her deeper into energy work, and how shamanic practices...

Heather Croston of Talulet Jewelry has taken more than a few unexpected turns. She moved from narrative metalsmithing into toy design, and now she’s returned to jewelry with a new rhythm and a voice that’s wholly her own. Heather creates one-of-a-kind pieces that feel like miniature landscapes—stone pairings that echo the Catskills outside her window, soft textures and patterns that carry a sense...

Renee Ford, now Renee Busdiecker, has been working in metal for over 30 years, and her path has taken her through so many versions of this life—from grad school to running her own brick-and-mortar fine jewelry store in her twenties, to creating a production line that landed in shops around the world. She’s taught all over the country, mentored students from her studio in Tennessee, and developed t...

SuzAnne Taylor is a silversmith and artist whose journey into jewelry began as an act of survival. After serving as a combat medic in Iraq, she returned home carrying invisible wounds and found herself struggling to reconnect with everyday life. It was during a stay at a VA hospital that her psychiatrist encouraged her to find a hobby—something to do with her hands, something to focus her energy....

Jennifer Young is one of those multi-talented souls who’s followed a winding, wholehearted path—through fine art, architecture, time living in Japan, and months on the road with her family in an Airstream. She makes soulful jewelry full of story. And in the corner of her studio, she’s created a small but intentional shop curated with beautiful handmade objects from around the world, all rooted in...

If you’ve ever felt that tug-of-war between creativity and business, or struggled with the balance of freedom and financial pressure, you’re going to feel so seen in this episode. Julianne is a maker in the truest sense—her work is soulful, organic, and deeply connected to the natural world. We talk about her journey from teacher to metalsmith, the unexpected start she got thanks to her husband’s...

In this episode, I sit down with Doug Napier—a thoughtful, seasoned artist with decades of experience in the jewelry world. Doug shares stories from his early days at the bench and how a lifetime of global adventures shaped the way he sees and approaches his craft today. We talk about what it means to stay adaptable in a changing industry, how to balance time-honored techniques with modern tools,...

Margaret Graham is the talented artist behind Centering Pendants—a jewelry collection that blends mindfulness, intention, and emotional healing. Margaret’s creative path began in ceramics, but it was through jewelry—and the creation of her signature Centering Pendants—that she discovered a way to connect deeply with herself and others. In our conversation, Margaret opens up about how making jewelr...

Karin Luvaas creates one-of-a-kind jewelry that highlights the natural beauty of hand-cut gemstones. Inspired by the rich hues, patterns, and textures of the earth, she carefully selects rare and unexpected stones to showcase in her designs. With a focus on color, craftsmanship, and refined simplicity, her work transforms organic materials into modern, elegant pieces that spark curiosity and joy....

In this engaging conversation, Christine Mighion interviews Beth Aimee, a talented jeweler who shares her journey from childhood experiences in the Appalachian mountains to her current work in jewelry design. Beth discusses her transition from a career in neurobiology to teaching and eventually to metalsmithing, highlighting the influence of nature on her artistic process. The conversation delves...

In this conversation, Christine Mighion interviews Rebecca Connell, a metal clay artist known for her work with MopTop Jewelry. They discuss Rebecca's journey into jewelry making, her creative process, the importance of photography in presenting her work, and the challenges she faced transitioning to full-time jewelry making. The conversation also touches on health issues, including perimenopause...

Brittany Foster shares her journey from being a custom jeweler in Minneapolis to finding her artistic voice in the serene woods of northern Minnesota. She discusses the challenges and joys of transitioning from commissioned work to personal expression, the inspiration she draws from nature and science, and the importance of creating a supportive environment for creativity. Brittany also reflects o...

Have you ever thought about writing a book, or perhaps even creating a community studio to teach and work from? If so, I think you will love this conversation with my guest Amy Schmidt.  Amy shares her journey into the world of metalsmithing, her passion for the craft, falling in love with teaching and then eventually establishing Salt City Smithery - a teaching and working studio.  Amy also refle...

Lynn Samis is a talented fine arts portrait painter with a modern, abstract, and colorful approach to her work. Her work bridges between cultures as a reminder of our common ground. It speaks to those who believe everyone deserves a place and a voice, especially in today’s divided world. Her desire is that when viewing her paintings, you can reflect, connect, and maybe even see a bit of yourself i...

Michelle Pajak Reynolds quite literally began creating jewelry as a young girl, inspired by the tiara and cuff bracelets she saw Linda Carter wear while playing Wonder Woman. She carried that passion through high school, eventually earning a BFA in Jewelry/Metals from Kent State and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Baldwin-Wallace University. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, including th...

Kelly Bussio was critically injured in an airplane crash 28 years ago where her husband, Brent, and a dear friend were both killed. She became paralyzed from the armpits down and spent many months laying flat on her back grieving. Not too long after, Kelly retired from her fast paced corporate job and began metalsmithing classes. It was there she fell in love with metal and stone. Kelly has adapte...

I met Heather John when she joined the Slowmade Collective many months ago and have really enjoyed getting to know her during our events. Her work is a beautiful marriage of organic and modern design, with masculine and feminine elements, and show stopping gemstones.  Today we discuss Heather's journey into jewelry making not that long ago, finding inspiration from the gemstones she uses, and...

I have to say that I was a little nervous initially when I thought of sitting down with Robert Thomas Mullen. He has a list of artistic accomplishments that would make many of us feel a bit “impostery” as artists. However, it didn’t take long for me to relax into our conversation and see that Robert, though extremely talented, had times when he doubted his own work, felt blocked, and experienced m...

In a perfect world we could just sit at our benches and create while someone else handled the business side of things, marketing, and social media. But for most of us, we need to do it all and some days doing it all feels defeating and like we just can’t do enough.  Today, you’ll hear my conversation with Carrie Hasse which happened right after she finished a couple of very demanding shows includi...

Have you ever considered the notion that we should live our lives to the fullest and follow our dreams even if it scares the hell out of us, because just maybe those that we love weren’t able to follow their dreams?  I think of the many times that I’ve encouraged my children to follow their hearts and not to let fear hold them back, because I wasn’t “allowed” to follow my dreams until I was much o...

From the very beginning, art has been the driving force in Laura Stamper’s life. As a child, she couldn't resist the urge to draw. And when paper wasn’t immediately available during a creative moment the walls of her room were the next best thing. Laura considers herself an artist of multiple mediums and she still has a very strong love affair with painting.  During our conversation Laura and...

Carol and Michael Schwarz are both accomplished goldsmiths, not only living on Maui, but thriving as artists. They are now winding down in their careers and enjoying a slower, more balanced life tending to their land and creating beautiful gold jewelry with the mana of the island running through each piece.  When I found Carol and Michael I was intrigued by their off grid lifestyle and their abili...

If you’ve ever wished you could create all your jewelry from gemstones you’ve discovered, you’ll love this conversation with my guest today.  Lisa Carroll is a silversmith and self-proclaimed treasure hunter from Australia who recently joined the Slowmade Collective. She loves incorporating Australia’s beautiful Lightening Ridge opals into work, but an even bigger thrill is going down into the min...