Interview by Ariella Har-Even

Hi Sarah! So excited to get to talk with you about jewelry, sustainability, running a small business, and everything in between. I hope your 2021 has started out on the right foot, and as a fellow Ohioan I hope you’re staying warm!

Tell us a little about yourself and your practice. How did you start making jewelry?

Ever since I was young, I have always used jewelry and fashion as a form of self-expression.  However, I did not discover jewelry making until I was in college.  I was studying fashion merchandising during my time in undergrad and took a jewelry class as an elective course my very first semester.  I was hooked on jewelry making right away and spent hours upon hours in the studio making both my assigned projects, as well as experimenting with new ideas and techniques.  I took every jewelry class I could at Kent State University and decided to continue my education in jewelry after completing my bachelor’s and headed to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for graduate school to fully dedicate myself to my jewelry practice. 

I’m so fascinated by your use and manipulation of plastics from your family’s factory. Did the concept for creating recycled plastic gems come first, or was your awareness of and access to the materials what inspired your process? Alternatively, is it all a chicken/egg evolution?

The use of alternative materials has always been of interest to me. I used my time in graduate school to experiment with as many different materials and techniques as I could. I used everything from found objects in antique shops and flea markets and recycled materials, to even natural objects such as leaves, shells, and seeds. I always loved the idea of turning a nonprecious object into something of value.

The awareness and access to the material inspired this specific process.  I discovered my recycled plastic material at my family’s steel cable manufacturing plant in Marion, Ohio.  I had found a bin of discarded plastic tubes that were stripped from nylon coated cable that the business produces.  To my surprise, I found this material was able to be manipulated easily, took to colored dye well, and (my favorite part) helped recycle some of the waste that the family business produces.

In your statement you refer to your work as “jewelry that challenges the standard of value and perfection in jewelry making.” Do you find that your creative process involves challenging this perfection in more ways than replacing precious stones with recycled plastic? Anything from other material choices to philosophies about creativity, ideation, or when a piece is considered “finished”?

I was very much inspired by the philosophy of Japanese Kintsugi when developing my making process. The Kintsugi process involves repairing a broken vase with gold adhesive and the end result is even more beautiful and intriguing than the original object. I reinterpreted this philosophy into the context of jewelry making by letting go control of handling my material. I work with metal by melting and fusing silver elements together. It’s a process that isn’t always the easiest to control and I often have to adjust my design and expectations while making a piece. The process of letting go of control results in interesting textures and patterns to form from the metal that I did not except, similar to how the gold pattern is created in Kintsugi.

Can you speak about the ways in which you’ve seen your work change and grow from your undergraduate studies and through getting your graduate degree? What were some connective threads?

The way my work has changed since undergrad is through my use of material.  In undergrad, I loved working with purely metal and was interested in creating with texture and patterns within the metal surface.  That love of texture has certainly carried over to my graduate work but with the added element of found objects.

In what specific ways do you think your background in fashion merchandising has molded your career path as a metalsmith? How important do you think it is for jewelers to expand their artistic horizons?

My background in fashion merchandising has given me the tools to look at my jewelry through both an artistic and analytical lens.  Fashion merchandising revolves around knowing your customer inside and out and I brought that way of thinking to my jewelry making through concept development.  My concept always comes from being inspired by a person whether it is someone close to me, a group of people, someone I admire, or even myself.

I think it is so important to continually push one’s artistic horizons because it helps open your mind to new possibilities in the way you work. By learning new and different skills, you will be able to push your own work in to new ways you would never expect.

You’ve exhibited your work in shows around the country, including the Smithsonian Craft Show, NYC Jewelry Week (shout out NYCJW!), and the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and in November of 2019 your earrings were featured in British Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines. As a 2019 MFA grad, what tips can you give fellow emerging artists regarding getting noticed, staying motivated, and self-advocating?

Social media is a great tool to use to get your work out there and start getting noticed; that is how I was first discovered by publications!  Being able to digitally showcase your work is now more important than ever with many of the shows having to move to an online platform this year.  I also think its great to get involved with as many group exhibitions as you can because they really help you to get to know more people within the art community.

Tell us a little about your experience at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

I was so fortunate to have gone through the graduate program at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with an amazing group of professors and fellow students.  The school has a vast amount of technology and equipment available, so I was able to do a ton of experimentation through laser cutting, 3D printing, laser welding, and so much more!  It was through this process of experimentation along with the feedback I received from my professors and colleagues that I was able to really find my way in the jewelry world.

Color seems to play a central role in your work. Can you share what your process is like when it comes to making color choices and creating palettes, and how that plays along with what materials you end up with from the factory?

The original pieces of plastic are a translucent white, so the opportunities are endless when it comes to color choice!  I love working in rich, bold colors that really bring the material to life.  I keep around 30-50 different colored batches of the plastic pieces at one time so I can constantly play around with different color combinations.  I have done solids, gradients, and even rainbow patterns so I don’t ever limit myself when it comes to color choice. Usually it’s the bolder the better!

Is there anything you’d like to share with us about new work you’re making or any upcoming projects or exhibitions?

I recently moved into a wonderful new studio space at Blockfort Studios in Columbus, Ohio where I have the opportunity to work in the same building with a community of talented artists who are working in all different mediums!  Here I am preparing some work to send to Milan Jewelry Week this summer and am continuing to experiment with new designs and ideas with my recycled plastic material.

Thank you for giving us a window into your creative practice and gorgeous work!