Silversmith and model - @gudnygracious
Photographer - @bonfireheart.photo
Creative Assistant - @mahlee_sem23
What inspired this collection?
My great grandfather was a silver/goldsmith & made many pieces that were designed with his future lineage in mind! I wanted to create a collection that was meant to be passed down. Gem Studio takes pride in being able to create sterling silver pieces that are made to last. My collection goal was to have ethereal pieces that could be passed down for years to come!
Tell us about yourself! What do you do outside of Gem Studio?
I live kind of a Hannah Montana life! I spend my daytime teaching third graders and then get to spend my evenings with the Gem Crew! I love to travel and visit local history/art museums in small towns! I have a passion for art and music history! Come take a workshop and let’s discuss who we think the most influential musician/artists of all time are!
What is currently playing on your Spotify?
70’s Japanese Disco is my forever music slay. Taeko Onuki, Kaoru Akimoto, Pink Lady, Ruhriko Ogami, Miharu Kosh, and of course Tatsuro Yamashita. However, you can also find Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and even Owl City on my playlists too.
What is your favorite thing about Utah?
I love the city to mountain transition. I grew up in a small town in Mississippi. The mountains and the tall buildings help me feel safe. I like to pretend the valley is a little cloud city and the mountains are our safe city gates.
What do you want to manifest in your life over the next year?
I will be healthy, kind, smart, grateful, and loving. I don’t wish for any specific events or milestones to reach. I just want whatever is meant for me to stay and whatever is not meant for me to be taken in with the tide!
What is your favorite gem, and why?
I’m an imperial jasper girl. Each gem looks like an aura! It’s metaphysical properties are one of my favorites. Imperial Jasper can lead a lost wanderer onto a sure path of spiritual healing and enlightenment. It is known to give the wearer the strength to confront inner and outer conflict in one’s life. Imperial Jasper is one of the few gems known to align each and every chakra instead of just one or a few.
What is your favorite part of the silversmithing process?
I’m a dremel girl!!!! I love learning how to utilize each attachment during the process to create better pieces! It’s a joke around the SLC Gem Fam that I signed a lease and pay rent at the dremel station. You didn’t ask but my favorite dremel attachment is the black soft wheel.
What's your favorite gem studio memory?
The time my family flew from Atlanta, Georgia and came in for a workshop!! My dad took over the whole studio and honestly I don’t blame him. He probably knew what he was doing more than I did. My mom just wanted to torch scrap metal into silver balls the whole time. My little sister was an angel and the perfect customer. Seriously the best day ever.