Today we’d like to introduce you to Bee Schaefer.
Hi Bee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story is the typical mother needing to find something other than volunteering at my child’s school. I have always been creative and have worked in every medium there is. It wasn’t until I took a workshop in silver metal clay that I found my true passion. As much as I loved working with sterling silver, I truly found my passion working in Bronze metal clay. The process of working in Bronze is a multiple-step process, and I had to self-teach how to work with it properly. I purchased a jeweler’s kiln because of the two-step firing needed to achieve the hard metal from a soft clay. I have been working with Bronze and sculpting my own pendants, charms, and components for over ten years now. I have taken metal smithing classes and am a member of the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are many challenges along the way. Each year, I have to re-evaluate my business and my goals. I could easily fall into creating 24/7 but found I needed a balance. It was easy during the pandemic to isolate and work in my studio all day. This year, I am taking time to be with friends and do other things that bring me joy.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I call myself a metal jewelry artist. I specialize in hand-carving my own charms and pendants. I am drawn to meaningful talismans. Angels, hearts, flowers, birds are just a few inspirations for my designs.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Moving from New York to Georgia could be considered a risk. Starting my own jewelry business could also be another risk. However, I don’t necessarily believe in risks. My perspective is that in order to move forward in life, one has to take chances. How else is one going to find their passions in life without doing so?
Contact Info:
- Instagram: designsbybee_
Image Credits
Bee Schaefer
