beth aimée

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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.

Slow craft, small batch, and artisan made may be over used terms, but they’re accurate descriptors of what I do. Starting with simple materials: a sheet of metal, some wire, a pair of dividers and a jeweler’s saw, I begin to create, employing centuries-old silversmithing techniques. Success is a compelling design that wears well, a unique piece that makes a woman feel joyful and beautiful.

What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

I live and play in the mountains. The natural world is filled with magnificent surprises, and I’m fascinated by the way it is in a constant state of change. Daily walks along the powerful Yellowstone River with the imposing Absaroka Mountains overhead remind me of the earth forces that create the precious metals and natural gemstones I work with. I think of my craft as bridging between the work of geological forces and the work of manmade tools and artistic vision.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

I studied Neurobiology and studio art in college. Both disciplines thrive on curiosity and inquiry, and both require skill and precision. I had a long path to arrive at metalsmithing. I worked in Neurobiology labs. I taught in a two-room rural school. I ran an art gallery. But now that I’m here, it all makes sense. I’m a geek for tools, a sucker for gemstones, and I could spend all day happily tinkering with silver at my workbench. Metalsmithing is the perfect medium for the artist/scientist that I am.