Laney Clark - The Girl with the Saw: Lessons from 35 Years at the Bench
Have you ever had a season in your creative life where slowing down wasn’t a choice—it was the only option left? Maybe your body demanded rest or maybe the joy of making faded under pressure and you started to wonder if you had lost that spark for the work that you once loved so much.That’s where today’s conversation begins.Laney Clark—known to many as Silent Goddess—has been making jewelry for more than thirty-five years, and I’m thrilled to say I’ve known her for probably 20 of those years. Her work is rooted in patience, precision, and the kind of simplicity that only comes from experience. She’s known for her hand-pierced designs, inspired by the tall pines and mountains outside her Washington studio.We talk about the long arc of a creative life—what it means to work through fear and anxiety at the bench, the rising cost of materials and what that does to our mindset, and how slowing down can become its own form of wisdom.If you’ve ever wondered how to keep creating when things get heavy, or how to find meaning again after years at the bench, I think you’ll really feel this one. Follow Laney:Instagram: @silentgoddessWebsite: silentgoddessartjewelry.comLove the Podcast?Support an episode: Click here to learn more!Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!Follow Christine and Slowmade...Instagram: @christinemighionJewelry Website: christinemighion.comSlowmade: slowmadepodcast.com
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Joy Kruse: Balancing Growth, Grit, & the Love of Making Jewelry
Have you ever wondered if you can truly grow your business when you love to make every piece with your own two hands?It was a question that came up in my own growing business many years ago and it’s a question that comes up often in this community — how do you scale without losing the soul of your work? How do you expand, maybe even hire help, but still keep that direct connection to what you’re creating?For many of us, the thought of letting go of the bench, even a little, feels impossible. The making is the heartbeat.Today’s guest, Joy Kruse of Wild Prairie Silver, has walked that line beautifully. From her early days making jewelry on the side while working full-time as a nurse, to now running a thriving studio with a small team, Joy has found a way to grow without sacrificing what she loves most — the making itself.Joy’s journey into metalsmithing began over two decades ago with a love of stones and a curiosity for form. What started as a creative outlet evolved into a full-fledged business known for its bold, organic designs and soulful craftsmanship.In our conversation, Joy shares how she made the leap from nursing to full-time artist, what it really looks like to run a sustainable handmade studio, and why she still insists on keeping her hands in every part of the process. We talk about failure as a teacher, staying true to your creative voice, and the quiet discipline that keeps the work — and the love for it — alive.It’s an inspiring, grounded conversation about the beauty and grit behind a life built by hand.Follow along...Joy on Instagram: @wildprairiesilverJoy’s Website: wildprairiesilver.comLove the Podcast?Support an episode: Click here to learn more!Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!Follow Christine and Slowmade...Instagram: @christinemighionJewelry Website: christinemighion.comSlowmade: slowmadepodcast.com
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Tiffany Chou: Making, Advocacy, and the Heart Behind Depo Market
Today I’m talking with Tiffany Chow, jewelry artist and founder of Depo Market on Maui — a beautiful little shop that’s part boutique, part community, and entirely built from love.Tiffany’s path has been anything but ordinary. After studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and running a successful jewelry line in New York, she felt an intuitive pull to move home to Hawaii. That decision led her to care for her brother, Chris — and ultimately to build a business that creates meaningful work for people with disabilities while bringing awareness and connection to her island community.In this conversation, Tiffany shares how Depo Market began as a pop-up for Chris and grew into a mission-driven storefront. We talk about caregiving, art as a bridge for belonging, and the realities of running a small, heart-centered business on Maui while raising a young daughter. It’s a story about purpose finding you when you least expect it — and how one act of love can ripple out to change everything.Follow Tiffany:Instagram: @depo_marketTikTok: @depomarketWebsite: depomarket.orgLove the Podcast?Support an episode: Click here to learn more!Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!Follow Christine and Slowmade...Instagram: @christinemighionJewelry Website: christinemighion.comSlowmade: slowmadepodcast.com
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Dawn Hemstreet: On Burnout, Resilence, & Redefining Success
In this beautiful conversation, I’m talking with jewelry artist Dawn Hemstreet of Hawk, Hummingbird & Moon. Dawn has this thoughtful, unfiltered way of sharing her story that I know will pull you right in. She came to jewelry later in life, around 49, and her path is such a reminder that it’s never too late to listen to that tug inside and step into something new.In our conversation, Dawn talks about the evolution of her work—from metal clay to fabrication, from jewelry into the possibility of objects—and how she follows curiosity even when it means starting over. We also get into the harder parts: burnout, doubt, the grind of shows, and what it feels like to wonder, “Do I still love this?” She doesn’t shy away from naming those struggles, but she also shows how resilience and curiosity keep her moving forward.What struck me most is how she speaks about belonging—about finding her own sense of worth even when family didn’t fully understand, and about the unexpected support from strangers that helped carry her through. We talk about showing up authentically, online and in person, and how connection often comes simply from being ourselves, flaws and all.This is a conversation about making, yes—but it’s also about strength, self-trust, and the freedom to define success on your own terms.Follow along...Dawn on Instagram: @dawnhemstreet.jewelryDawn's website: hawkhummingbirdmoon.comLove the Podcast?Support an episode: Click here to learn more!Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!Follow Christine and Slowmade...Instagram: @christinemighionJewelry Website: christinemighion.comSlowmade: slowmadepodcast.com
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ENCORE: Teresa Kiplinger - The Intersection of Poetry and Jewelry, Art as a Medium for Grief, & Reflections on Age and Artistic Freedom
A graphic designer and lifelong poet, Teresa Kiplinger came to metal later in life as a way to keep herself busy through the end of a painful marriage. Not long after, she experienced the unimaginable loss of her teenaged stepson. Wearing her pain like a heavy cloak, she turned to her metalwork and poetry to work through her grief, making a bracelet in his memory, etched with a poem to him. This bracelet, a reminder of her love for him, was a comforting presence in the months that followed. From this deeply personal and difficult loss, Teresa says she found her voice. During this conversation Teresa shares how her love of poetry and metal came together to so beautifully create what she has coined as modern memento mori jewelry. We discuss the healing and sometimes lifesaving powers of an art practice, curating a cohesive and compelling story, and the freedom that one can find with art as he or she ages. Follow Teresa...Website: www.silverpoet.comInstagram: @tkiplingerWant to continue these important conversations with a mutually supportive and diverse community of jewelry artists? Then please consider joining us in the Slowmade Collective. It's the best place I know online that can support you and your desire to create a sustainable business that feeds your life.
Über Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths
Slowmade is a nourishing and inclusive space for independent jewelry artists and metalsmiths that supports your desire to build a more soulful, handcrafted business, and life... one that aligns with your values, your passion, and your creativity. Join jewelry artist, seasoned business owner, and the host of Slowmade, Christine Mighion in this conversational style podcast. You'll hear honest and inspiring stories from artists around the world, sharing their wins, their challenges, and the lessons they learned along the way to building financially sustainable and purpose driven business.
Höre Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths, Constantly Changing Constantly K und viele andere Podcasts aus aller Welt mit der radio.at-App
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