Studio Walk-Thru: Maximum Efficiency in a Small White Box

Thoughtful use of space supports fine jewelry

As a professional jewelry artist, I need a studio space designed to support my artmaking: your satisfaction depends on it.  When I built my studio many years ago, I designed the space to be efficient, organized, and supportive of my creative work.

While my ultimate goal is always to make a piece of jewelry that delights you, doing so without wasting time or resources is a challenge I’ve come to love. Over time, I’ve been able to divide my plain white box into five work zones, adapting it into a three-dimensional tool that supports me in crafting your purchases. 

Zone 1: The Studio Table- powerful enough for anything!

Zone 1: The Studio Table, My Multifunctional Workhorse

In the center of the studio is Zone 1, a big white table.  I picked up this beautiful beast many years ago for forty bucks at an office supply store.  She is made of wood and has four study legs. Looking at her, I feel her practical power and know I can handle anything.

She stands on risers, lifting my work up to me.  On one corner, I’ve attached a vise to hold tools for shaping metal. On another, I’ve mounted a hand-crank ring-making tool. The rest of her divides into work areas depending on the day’s agenda: some days she’s a drawing table, covered with sketch pads and pencils; other days she supports my elbows while I crochet fine silver. Some days she’s a computer table, and I’m a Girl Boss, sending out design proposals and shipping orders.  (The printer is tucked underneath a different table along the side wall.  Because, efficiency!)

Zone 2" The Hot Bench, set up for soldering precious metal parts together.

Zone 2: The Hot Bench

When it’s time to solder, I turn to another station, my hot bench.  A repurposed countertop salvaged from a kitchen renovation, this is the perfect place to keep my torch, which uses a mix of oxygen and acetylene gases to produce my flame. One end of this bench is supported by cabinets that hold chemicals for cleaning metal. The other end, bolted securely to the wall, holds my sink, offering easy access to water. 

Zone 3: The Jeweler's Bench holds tools. Hmm... it doesn't look as organized as I thought...😊

Zone 3: The Jeweler’s Bench

Some jewelers mount their torches right on the jeweler’s bench, a specially designed piece of furniture with nooks and crannies for storing tools.  I use a separate bench, which helps me keep everything clean and eases my organization.  I use this bench while filing, sanding, and setting stones.

Inside the bench’s front curve, I attach a bench pin, shaped so I can brace my hands or a work piece so they can’t slip while I work.  Stability is key to maximizing your strokes with the file or sandpaper, which supports fine craftsmanship and helps you finish the task efficiently.

Zone 4: The Storage Units/Forging Table Combo!

Zone 4: The Storage Unit/Forging Table Combo

Of course I need a place to keep my materials. Most of my metal lives on a pegboard wall above a large cabinet.  On the pegboard, I hang coils of silver wire, arranged in ascending order from left to right, just like reading a page.  I know exactly where to find each gauge of wire, and I am careful to replace the coil right after I’ve cut from it, so I can find it the next time. Inside the cabinet, I store paper, paint, charcoal for drawing… traditional fine art materials for when I need to get back to basics.

Shaping tools like hammers and mallets live on the pegboard below the metal coils. Their various surfaces create distinctive marks when I strike them against my anvil. Perhaps you’ve seen a video online of me forging a round wire flat before I wind it into a ring?  This is where that happens.  My anvil is always on this tabletop, at the ready.

Zone 5: The packing Table. Yeesh! This doesn't look very organized, either...

Zone 5: The Packing Table

When an order is finished and ready to head to its new home, I turn to the packing table.  I store my gift boxes inside a rolling cart to keep them clean. My tissue and recycled packaging materials sit neatly stacked on wire shelves.  I pack your jewelry carefully, often dropping a handwritten note to make your unboxing experience special.

From My Studio to Your Heart

As you can see, every zone of my studio serves a purpose.  This intentional design creates efficiencies which maximize the craftsmanship of every piece. When you receive your jewelry, you’re not just getting an accessory- you’re receiving years of thoughtful production design, all in service of creating jewelry you can cherish. My hope is that, knowing the care and process behind your item, you’ll treasure it all the more.

-xo,

Happy Holidays!