Kim Stadelman
Winner – New to Metal Clay Category
Kim Stadelman, winner of the New to Metal Clay Award, started taking metal clay classes late last year after seeing two artists demonstrate it on a studio tour, and has loved it ever since. “In my first class, I walked away after three hours with a beautiful piece of silver jewelry: it was only a small pendant, but I loved it and it is still my favorite of all the pieces I’ve made.”
In Kim’s winning entry, she created a pair of fine silver earrings with dichroic glass cabochons, inspired by Lis-el Crowley’s dichroic glass tutorial. “If I had to pick just one piece of jewelry to wear every day, it would be earrings. That’s why I decided to create earrings for the Flash & Fire Challenge. I love dangle and chunkier earrings, as well as different textures and color. It was fun to incorporate all of those elements into the piece.”
Egyptian Blue – Fine silver earrings
“I find inspiration all around me,” she continued. “I’ve loved jewelry since I was a child, and I’m always noticing what people are wearing, even when I’m watching TV. I see so much inspiration on social media, and I’m always thinking of my next creation.”
Kim now takes classes once a week, and has brought a friend along to learn with her. “My instructor provides a lot of information and support, and is always encouraging me to try new things. I’m also so inspired from talking to others who have worked in metal clay a long time, and learning from them.”
“To others who are considering metal clay, I would absolutely tell them to give it a try. The creativity is endless! You can turn a simple piece of clay into a beautiful thing. There is no right or wrong when creating, every piece is unique.”
Find out more about this challenge and future ones here
