Daily Inspiration: Meet Emily Charles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Charles. 

Hi Emily, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My silversmithing journey began at such an unexpected time in my life. My intention was to find a hobby that brought me joy during my free time, I never thought I would end up where I am now with a full-blown business! 

I first began making simple and cute jewelry using beads, charms, chains, etc., & selling them to my friends and family. It was a lot of fun for me & quickly became a creative outlet. I stumbled upon metal stamping & started incorporating that into my jewelry. Stamping involves a metal stamp with a design on the bottom and using a hammer to imprint the design onto metal. After doing this for a little while I became frustrated in not being able to create a deeper impression into the cheap metal blanks, I was using from craft stores. I started researching how to create a deeper stamp impression & stumbled upon the art of silversmithing. I watched countless videos, tutorials, and even took some simple online classes to get started. I was so enamored by this entire process; I became entirely obsessed with it. It was all I could think about & it consumed all my free time. I purchased all the tools I could afford, as well as sterling silver and stones. I will never forget the day I created my very first sterling silver ring. It was just a simple silver band, but it was pure magic to me. Now, I wasn’t just stamping charms for crafty jewelry, I was creating pieces of art that could be cherished for lifetimes. ` 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing of value ever comes easy. This art form is not easy, it takes time to learn, and lots of it. Just like with anything, practice is the only way to get better! Learning how to control a flame on a torch, how to properly saw through metal, & how to solder two pieces of metal together are just a few examples of things that need to be mastered over time in order to successfully make jewelry. Since I am self-taught, I feel that it probably did take me a little longer to figure these things out on my own. I would watch videos online then set out for the task, only to run into another problem. It was countless hours of research instead of starting & completing a project with the guidance of an instructor in a classroom. I would also fill notebooks full of notes & step by step instructions on whatever it is that I would learn online. This helped a lot so that I had something to reference when I began to work, but it definitely slowed me down until I was able to memorize the process on my own. Although I did get started on my own, I cannot take full credit for teaching myself this art. Without the acceptance and guidance of my fellow online silversmiths, I would have never learned as quickly as I did. The online silversmith community has been my biggest asset in starting my business. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a silversmith, I specialize in handmade sterling silver jewelry. The majority of what I create are necklaces, earrings, rings, and cuffs. I use special stones called “cabochons” which are cut to be flat on the bottom, making it possible for the stone to be set in jewelry. Some of my favorite stones I use are amber, turquoise, and Montana agate. Out of all the pieces I make, I would I say I am most known for my large statement cuffs. I love to make large pieces with beautiful eye-catching stones. 

What sets me apart from others is really my lack of competitiveness. I am not here to be the best there ever was, nor do I want to be. I enjoy fostering community with my peers and lifting each other up. I do not mind sharing tips, promoting & sharing others’ work, or answering questions from beginners. Without my community of female makers, I would not be where I am now. I owe a lot of my growth to the women around me. 

What were you like growing up?
I have always been pretty creative & explorative, even as a child. I enjoyed making jewelry a lot when I was growing up. My grandmother would always keep a plethora of beads and other things at her house for me to create with. It was always cool being able to go to her house & have something fun to do. I would say she really pushed me & my two younger sisters to be creative and always had some sort of activity for us. Alongside that I was (& still am) athletic, I played many sports including baseball, soccer, & running cross country. The one sport that I ended up sticking with & really enjoying was competitive swimming. I was on my high school’s swim team and also swam on a rec team in the summers. 

While in high school I found an interest in photography and took courses throughout my four years. After graduating I went on to college and majored in photography with a minor in entrepreneurship. This step in my life was instrumental to the creation and success of my jewelry business. Taking quality photos might be the most important element in selling art or a product in my opinion. 

Contact Info:

• Email: emzgemzco@gmail.com
• Website: emzgemzco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emzgemz_CO/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emzgemzco