Conversations with the Inspiring Rebecca Sickler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Sickler.

Rebecca, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My husband and I moved to Colorado seven years ago from right outside of Philadelphia. We came out here to live better lives. We were both working more than we were living and decided it was time for a change. My journey to becoming a metalsmith started a little over five years ago. At the time, my professional career was in the hospitality industry. I was an event planner for years and then worked my way into restaurant management. While the money was very good, I was extremely unhappy. I didn’t enjoy what I was doing and my health and happiness were being affected. My husband has always been so supportive of anything that I want to do and when I went to him and told him I needed to get out of the job I was in, he told me to go for it. We did, after all, move to Colorado to have more fulfilling lives.

I’ve always been creative and went to college for Fashion Design. I love sewing, knitting, crocheting, basically anything that allows me to use my hands and create. A very dear friend that owned a jewelry store started talking to me about becoming a metalsmith. He got me set up with a job at Naja Tool and Supply, a jewelry supply shop in Denver that was attached to the Denver School of Metal Arts. I started working and taking classes and was surrounded by so much creativity that it didn’t matter how small my paychecks were and that most of it was going to purchasing metalsmithing equipment.

Eventually, I left the Naja and started managing a bridal shop and doing alterations for a steady income. I spend the majority of my free time in my studio making jewelry. My studio and the mountains are my two favorite places to be!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely not a smooth road! I think one of the biggest challenges for artists is that we just want to create all day long. There is so much more that goes into running your own business. Taxes, licensing, marketing, the list goes on and on! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed. My advice is to take one thing at a time. Make a list and just check things off as they get done. I think one of the biggest challenges for me has been social media. I grew up before it was a thing and I am also a very private person. I really had to work hard at putting myself out there on Instagram and Facebook so that people could get a glimpse into my life and my work. These days, it’s how you get noticed and get your name out there.

Owning your own business is not an easy thing to do. If it was, there would be a lot more people out there working for themselves. It’s not going to happen overnight and you just have to stay determined and keep pushing!

What should we know about Refined Rebellion Jewelry? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I LOVE big jewelry! My personal collection is full of big rings, huge dangly earrings and big bracelets. What I try to create is jewelry that makes a huge statement whether it is big or small. Someone that doesn’t like large chunky jewelry will still stand out when wearing one of my smaller, more delicate pieces.

All of my jewelry is handcrafted by me with sterling and fine silver. I use a number of different processes with hammers, files, different surfaces to create texture on, and oh yeah… fire. It’s so cool to me that I get to use fire on a regular basis to make my jewelry. There’s nothing better than seeing that piece of silver turn red hot right before it fuses to another piece of red hot metal!

The centerpiece is usually a beautiful stone. I also love beautiful stones. They come in all sorts of different colors, patterns and shapes. I see the stone and I create the rest of the piece to go with it. I want all of my pieces to have texture and depth to them. To stand out but still have that look of refinement.

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
I have found so many amazing groups of people online that have helped me through my learning process. There is a huge community of women metalsmiths on Facebook and Instagram that are so wonderful. When I first started out, I was pretty intimidated to comment or ask any questions in these groups but these fellow artists are so supportive and everyone helps each other succeed.

Colorado is a really great place to be an aspiring metalsmith. There is a huge community of smiths throughout the state. Colorado Metalsmithing Association holds events all over the place and they have a huge conference in Salida every year. Boulder Metalsmithing Association gives classes and have open studios available. There are so many different resources for us. All you have to do is reach out!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/ShopRefinedRebellion
• Email: refinedrebellionjewelry@gmail.com
• Instagram: @refinedrebellionjewelry
• Facebook: RefinedRebellionJewelry

Image Credit:
Richard Sickler

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