February’s Metalsmithing Challenge
Top Left: Victorian inspired Bow and Heart Brooch by Julie Walser (@paolimerchantile). Sterling silver. Approximately 4” across. Contact Julie to inquire.
Bottom Left: Soul’s Journey Necklace by Andrea Ring (@amuckdesign). Copper, brass, sterling and found objects of lithographed tins, record vinyl and license plate. Purchase here.
Top Right: Buttery Wing Earrings by Heather John (@heatherjohnjewelry). Sterling silver. Contact Heather to inquire.
Bottom Right: Cameo Earrings by Christine Mighion (@christinemighion) Oxidized sterling silver with antique shell cameos, sapphire, ruby, and pearl. Purchase here.
February’s Metalsmithing Challenge invited us to look to history for inspiration — choosing a specific era or design movement and interpreting it through our own hands.
What emerged was thoughtful translation. Clean midcentury lines. Elongated silhouettes. Graphic shapes. A nod to Victorian sentiment. A whisper of Art Deco geometry. Each piece carried a sense of awareness — of studying what came before and then asking, How would I say this in my own voice?
That’s the beauty of these challenges. They stretch our design muscles without adding pressure. They invite research, reflection, and reinterpretation. And they remind us that we’re part of a long lineage of makers — building on history while still making something entirely our own.
Just a bench, some metal, and centuries of inspiration sitting quietly beside us.