From My Calgary Studio: The Story Behind Handmade Sterling Silver Jewellery
When I walk into my studio, I start by putting on my work apron, tying my hair back and finding some music or a podcast to listen to. Then I sit down at my jeweller’s bench, which is most likely covered with projects in various stages of completion, tools scattered everywhere, gemstones, bezels and silver dust. So much silver dust!
Many of my ideas come from exploring the natural areas around Calgary. I love seeking out places to walk within the city, where I can wander, look for local wildflowers and notice the little details that might eventually inspire a piece of jewellery. Sometimes I’ll flip through my phone for photos I’ve gathered on these walks or in my garden. Even better, if it’s summer, I may have brought a little inspiration from the garden with me: fresh flowers on my bench, a leaf or seed pod from my walk the day before.
From Inspiration to Design
Once I have an idea in my head, I’ll often pull out my sketchbook and start playing around. Sometimes I’ll work around a particular theme, like a specific leaf or gemstone collection.
I usually fill a few pages with little thumbnail sketches, trying out different shapes and compositions before deciding which ideas are worth pursuing. They aren't meant to be beautiful drawings, but they are a way for me to work through an idea and see where it might lead.
I don't always start with a sketch, though. Sometimes I’ll sit down at my bench with a piece of silver and just start making. I might have a general idea of what I want to create, but the piece itself can start to take over as I work with the material. I’ve learned to go with the flow, and sometimes the piece turns out completely different than I originally imagined!
Working with Sterling Silver
It all starts with a sheet of flat silver, a coil of sterling wire, or a lump of sterling silver metal clay. The raw material doesn’t look like much yet, but it holds so much potential!
I like to work with individual components and build them into a larger piece. I might start by making a bezel for a gemstone, sculpting a tiny rose out of metal clay, or creating a frame out of wire to compose a little garden scene into. I make these individual components myself and build each piece at my bench, so even a small piece of jewellery can pass through my hands many times before it’s finished.
Everything is hand formed, and each piece is touched by my favourite hand tools, like my jeweller’s saw, files, pliers and sanding blocks, multiple times throughout the process. Slowly, those flat sheets, coils of wire and little pieces of metal begin to take shape as something that resembles a piece of jewellery.
Heat, Texture and Patina
I have a dedicated table for torch work because, surprisingly, this step is really dirty! Working with an open flame also requires a certain level of focus, so I like to limit distractions when I’m soldering. I’ve melted hours of silver work by accidentally getting a little too close with the torch more times than I care to count!
But I love working with sterling silver, and after more than twenty years at the bench, I’ve learned to recognize what it looks like right before it melts. I love how it captures textures and little details, and how I can create beautiful contrast by adding a dark patina. The silver takes on a gorgeous glow in the very last step of polishing, and all those little details come to life. It’s such a lovely metal to work with and wear every day.
How Long Does It Take to Make a Piece?
I’m often asked how long it takes to make my handmade sterling silver jewellery. It’s a tough question to answer with an exact number because there are so many steps along the way, and every piece is different.
I like to work in batches of 5 to 15 one-of-a-kind pieces at a time, sometimes juggling multiple batches at once. As I work, I like to let the silver dictate the direction. A piece might start with one idea, but as I make decisions about balance, weight and composition, it can take on a life of its own and end up looking quite different from what I originally imagined.
Torch work is the trickiest part, and even after twenty years at the bench, I’ll still occasionally melt a bezel. Sometimes I have to scrap the entire piece and start over. It can be frustrating, but it’s all part of the process, and I’m still learning.
The Final Details
I put my very best into each piece I create, and I won’t let it leave my studio until I am proud to put my name on it!
I have a few little stamps that I use to mark my work. One is my MP trademarked maker’s mark, which identifies it as my work, and the other is a .925 stamp, indicating that the piece is sterling silver made up of 92.5% pure silver. For pieces made with Argentium sterling silver, I use a 93.5% stamp to indicate the higher silver content.
Once the piece is finished, polished and the stones are set, I love setting up a little photo shoot at my kitchen table and photographing each piece for my website.
I like to imagine what it will be like when someone opens their jewellery box and sees their new piece for the first time. I hope they can feel the difference in my work: the hours at the bench, the intention behind each little design decision, and the care that went into making it.
That’s really what handmade jewellery means to me. It’s not just about the finished piece, but all the little decisions, mistakes, discoveries and hours at the bench that went into making it. Every piece starts as an idea and a handful of silver, then passes through my hands again and again until it is finished. I love knowing that something I made in my Calgary studio will eventually become part of someone else’s story, whether it’s an everyday piece they reach for over and over, or something special that holds a memory for years to come. I love thinking about where each piece will go once it leaves my studio, and imagining it being worn, enjoyed and becoming part of someone else’s life.
Thank you for taking a look behind the scenes with me. If you’d like to see more of my work, you can find my handmade jewellery here.
