Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alycia Earhart. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Alycia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally when I was about 7 years old. It was always my answer when someone asked “what do you want to be when you grow up” but of course I didn’t know what that actually entailed. I just loved the idea of being creative and sharing the things that made me happy with others. It wasn’t until shortly after my mom unexpectedly passed in 2014 did I start to take my work and approach more serious. Focusing on creating proved to be therapeutic and a way to process grief, and I found myself once again yearning to put work into the world that made people, including myself, happy. This approach has remained one of the core values of my work.

Alycia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Alycia Earhart. I graduated with a degree in Art History in 2010 and in 2020 earned my Master’s in Digital Marketing. I am a self-taught metal smith and painter who occasionally dabbles in other media as I feel called. Shortly after my mom unexpectedly passed away in 2014, I dove head first into my work as a way to process and cope with the grief I was experiencing. In early 2015 I launched Oxbow Studio, my jewelry brand born from the intention of creating pieces that made the wearer feel bold and empowered. Over the years I have had the privilege of creating heirloom jewelry for engagements, weddings, and memorials, I have shipped my work all over the world, and have collaborated with some of my favorite brands. It has also allowed me to meet some of my best friends who share a love for the craft.

In 2019, my creative path shifted as I began to crave an artistic outlet that allowed more freedom, color, and spontaneity. This is when I began to experiment with painting. It wasn’t until the end of 2020, after I had given birth to my first child and became a full time stay at home mom, did I start to lean more into this new medium as it was something I could quietly do during nap time. So I swapped my hammer and anvil for a paintbrush and easel and began down this new creative path. Since, I’ve been fortunate enough to produce two large shows, participate in several group exhibitions, collaborate with non profits, and be featured in two publications (Create! Magazine and New Visionary Magazine).

Now that my daughter is older, I have been able to once again shift some of my focus onto metalsmithing. I have really enjoyed watching the creative transformation as jewelry and painting influence one another and the unique and unexpected results. My jewelry has become more abstract, organic, and sculptural, and my paintings have more geometric and intentional elements to them. I look forward to seeing how these two media continue to play off of each other in the studio.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The most pivotal moment for me as an artist was when my daughter, Olive, was born in late 2020. Prior to her birth I had plenty of time and energy to devote to growing my jewelry brand, Oxbow Studio. I was able to dive deep into designing and creating collections and implement marketing plans to promote and sell my designs on both my website and through wholesale. After Olive was born, I became a full time stay at home mom and my only opportunity to work in the studio was during nap time. I quickly learned that the hammering, sawing, and general workings of a metalsmith studio were too loud for a sleeping baby, so I pivoted and began to focus on painting. Painting was not only quiet, but it was something I could do while wearing her in a wrap or while she slept beside me. As she got older, it became something we could even do together. Ever since her birth, all of my creations, both jewelry and painting, have become a love letter to motherhood. Everything I create, whether intentional or not, is influenced by and is a response to motherhood. Whether it’s shifting to simple designs I can manage during the rare, short bursts of studio time, gravitating towards colors Olive and I both love, or using materials that allow more flexibility, everything has a little piece of motherhood in it.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The best compliment I can get is when someone tells me a painting or piece of jewelry inspired them to learn how to metalsmith or to pick up a paintbrush again. I think the creative field can be a very intimidating place and, like any field, is full of people who either choose community over competition and those who don’t. I always choose community and love connecting with other individuals by sharing my process, sources of inspiration, materials, and even my mistakes. I think the world would benefit with more art and less gatekeeping.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alyciaearhart.com and www.oxbowstudiojewelry.com
• Instagram: @alyciaearhart.art and @oxbow_studio