Ginger

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Hammers, metals and gemstones fill my days.

Or, rather, they fill my hands each day.

What really fills my days is narrative. Vignettes of lives well lived and well loved. Stories of people.

Jewelry is a narrative tool. Holding lots of information in a small package, jewelry is the most intimate of art forms. We wear it on our bodies. It’s with us wherever we go. Sometimes it’s simply about embellishment. But often it’s about our story.

Jewelry can symbolize a commitment we’ve made or or a shift in our lives. A reminder of an accomplishment. Or a trip. Or a loved one. A talisman to get us through.

I believe in joy. I believe in holding hands. I believe in telling stories and the power of love.

In my twenties and early thirties I spent at least ten thousand hours learning to make jewelry in my laundry room. I knew exactly how long my babies had to be asleep before I could hammer without waking them. A woman I had met in college introduced me to metalsmithing, and it was like the perfect harmonies of angels swirled around and in my being. Metalsmithing is the perfect blend of art and science, and it’s my ordained vocation.

My work is about noticing and honoring the moments in life when we are our truest selves. My clients come to me when they are making life commitments, welcoming or losing loved ones, shifting something in their lives, or intending to preserve a memory. It is my honor to be trusted with their story. I am a storyteller. I speak metal.

In the years since the laundry-room studio, I have made my studio home in a few different locations, a little larger and a little better-equipped each time. Currently my studio is in a mid-century industrial building downtown, with a funky little art gallery at the front of the building where I host trunk shows and art events throughout the year. 

I enjoy being a perpetual student, always developing my skills both technical and aesthetic. As my practice has grown, I have reluctantly learned how to add systems and structures to make things happen as they should. But I get really excited when, even in the midst of systems and structure, I can still manage to get lost in process and forget the time. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you’re interested in knowing more about the particulars of my career, go here. If you’re interested in peeking into my background and my creative process, go here.

~Ginger Meek Allen