We recently connected with Camille Wild and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Camille thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
The most meaningful project I have worked on to date was a collection of jewelry I released earlier this year, called “Reflections: An Ode to the North Cascades”. It was inspired by my time spent in the Cascades in Washington State. This collection was the process of externalizing thoughts and feelings rooted in grief that transcended many levels- loss of friends to the mountains and witnessing the changing landscapes. This body of work essentially was my process of moving through grief.
As part of the process, it required me to return to the mountains despite feelings of fear and apathy. I spent the summer navigating the mountains solo and sometimes with good friends by my side. While in the mountains, I chose to slow down and observe my surroundings, rather than move fast for the sole purpose of completing a climbing objective. I brought a journal with me on my adventures and would scribble down the ideas floating around in my head. I found inspiration in the glaciers, jagged peaks, the colors of the Cascades, and the feelings this area evoked. This collection is a reflection of my gratitude for the North Cascades and what this area has taught me. For me, it is a call to action to slow down and observe, not shy away from difficulty, and care for these wild spaces.
Camille , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a second-generation metalsmith and owe the love of the craft to my mother. I grew up watching her create jewelry in her studio and assisting her at art galleries. It wasn’t until my early 20s that I found myself in the art form. After dabbling in painting, drawing, and other various forms, the love for jewelry came naturally and continuously feels like a return to home.
I first began making jewelry on the back of my truck tailgate in 2017. At the time, I was working as a mountain guide and outdoor educator across the Western United States. Making jewelry allowed me to channel the feelings of my surroundings into a tangible piece of art. It was also a way for me to rest and recover between outdoor objectives.
For the majority of my life, I have been on the move in different forms. I grew up dancing and found a love for rock climbing as a teenager. I am continuously drawn back to the sport and how I can express myself through movement. My jewelry is a testament to that, as I attempt to capture the whimsical feeling I observe while moving through nature. My pieces are deeply inspired by my time spent outside. Currently, I work out of a studio at the foot of the North Cascades in Washington State. However, I spent my youth in Colorado, a couple years in the United Kingdom, and many years traveling around the western United States in my trusty rusty red ford ranger.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I have a deep appreciation for the environment, which drives my creative journey. I frequently question how I can make my jewelry practice as environmentally responsible as I can. I source my stones from local lapidary artists I meet while traveling across the United States, builds direct relationships with miners/mines, and sources stones from Fair Trade gem dealers. I use reclaimed post-consumer diamonds, lab-diamonds, moissanites, and Canadian diamonds in my work. If I don’t recycle the metal myself, all of the metal I use is sourced from companies and refiners who specialize in recycling metals.
I am fortunate to have grown up within the jewelry industry as the daughter of a goldsmith who also shares a love for the environment. Growing up in the industry has provided me with a knowledge base that is sometimes hard to access for jewelers who are just getting started. My goal for 2025 is to offer classes with my mom to teach jewelers the art of recycling their own metals, metallurgy, how to responsibly source stones in a flooded market, and how to build an environmentally responsible business.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
The Creative Journey Podcast and Nitty Gritty Podcast are my go-tos. Each podcast interviews other creatives and how they have found success in their creative journey’s. They speak to me because I have historically always been shy of the “entrepreneurial” side of things and just wanted to make art. When I was younger my mind actively protested thinking about money as I thought it would take away from the joy of creating. However, these podcasts have helped me shift my thinking and understand why the business management side is important. I owe a lot of the growth of my small business to these two podcasts- so if you ever read this thank you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://camillewild.com
- Instagram: camillewildjewelry
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CamilleWildJewelry
Image Credits
Marina Neal
Erik Patak