We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Blake Barr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Blake, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Gemstones have caught my interest from a young age. Whether a gift or something i had found on my own , always there was meaning attached to that particular object. Memories of my father , or memories created since carrying a stone seemed the linger with the piece and move with me as i transversed times, feelings and situations, Meaningful projects to me , are ones that were created with intention, Collaborating with clients to produce a final product that has its natural value , amplified with intentions promote a sense of completion and meaning for me.
I realized i wanted to created jewelry after trading for a very special piece at a festival. That weekend was transformative for me and the jewelry i wore throughout i felt embodied everything i had experienced , learned and grown from. To me it seemed i had a physical relic that carried all of that experience and emotion back into everyday life.
I feel that if i do my job well , i can pass on something special to another that they can download into , set intention in or simply enjoy the beauty of. Crystals , gemstones are amazing in that way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Blake Barr and i go by HandSpunn : custom made jewelry and gemstone. I have been fortunate enough in my endeavors to forge meaningful connections with stone providers from all over the world. I look for stones that call to me , are unique and often rare to see in silver jewelry. I have a strong sentiment for “feeling” stones , i love to find those that, for me, provoke a sense of emotions and enjoyment. I love to cut gems and explore their inner world , custom , freeform cutting of gemstones is always an option in my designs.
Find me on Instagram @HandSpunn , facebook also.
We also have an Etsy site with available work feel free to visit www.etsy.com/shop/handspunn.
Reach out if you have inquiries or interests , id love to chat.
Thanks! Blake.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I started in Wire Wrap jewelry , which was amazingly rewarding considering my lack of tools and resource. Copper is a great place to start , inexpensive , easy to manipulate and in my option beautiful. I scraped loads of silver learning , it pushed me to slow down and be more precise , though toggling to copper granted me more freedom to make mistakes without hurting the wallet. Go to gem shows , chat and learn.
An aspect of Jewelry that attracted me as an art form was the welcoming community and down to earth people. If you interested to learn , get out and explore , be curious and open to ideas.
I suppose that would be my advice!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/handspunn
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/handspunn
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/handspunn