We were lucky to catch up with Erin Kandoll recently and have shared our conversation below.

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

Since I was a little girl, I’ve always known that art would play a significant role in my life. Like many others, I faced childhood trauma, and art became my refuge, a way to heal and find solace. Spending my senior year in the art room for independent study in art was a lifeline that got me through those challenging years.

As I embarked on college, I initially pursued musical theater as a performing artist, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. So I decided to change course, becoming an official beauty school dropout, and ventured to LA for school specializing in high-definition makeup for film & photography. My dream was to work on movie sets, blending various art forms of makeup and FX and to earn a living doing what I loved. However, the fast-paced city life didn’t quite resonate with me.

Following my heart’s compass, I eventually moved to a tiny island in southeast Alaska, where I discovered my true passion for silversmithing. The tranquil surroundings and slower pace allowed my creativity to blossom, and I found a deep connection with the art of making jewelry. Encouraged by the unwavering support of the local community, I began to see the potential of turning this passion into a career.

Navigating the business aspects proved challenging, and there were moments when I had to put my art on hold while raising my two children and trying to find a market from a remote Island. As a wife of a fisherman, I’m alone with the kids for much of the year so finding out how to make money working from home, and doing what I love, was imperative. But after a year or so away from creating & smithing, I realized I couldn’t live without it. I needed to find my way back to that frame of mind I had experienced in my high school art room, that healing refuge space and simply create. So I took a leap of faith and invested in online jewelry business courses, and that’s when everything started to shift in a new direction.

With the booming e-commerce industry, and my passion for making shiny pieces of wearable art with silver and stones, I finally found a way to transform my passion into a lifelong career—or at least for as long as my hands can wield a torch.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a self-taught silversmith who stumbled upon a deep passion for crafting jewelry from tiny nuggets of our beautiful earth. Twisted Ginger Jewelry is a one-woman show, where I orchestrate all the moving parts with passion and dedication to keeping the love of my craft alive.

Following a traumatic life event, I sought solace in the gentle glow of a torch and the touch of silver between my fingertips, discovering the healing power of crafting with my hands. I had read that you can heal trauma by working with your hands, so that’s exactly what I started to do. When I first began, I was twisting silver wire into jewelry, but my keen struggles with perfectionism and artistic eye surpassed my skills, driving me to embark on a journey of continuous improvement. Sharing my struggles with a dear friend, he reminded me of the 10,000-hour rule – dedicating time and embracing the learning curve. So, for nearly a decade, amidst countless pieces of scorched silver, I persisted and honed my craft.

Today, I design and create intricate, one-of-a-kind sterling silver and stone jewelry that holds a timeless allure. Working with stones ranging from all types of turquoise, jaspers, opalized woods to Australian opals, I draw inspiration from each stone’s unique energy, letting them guide my creative process as I craft settings that complement their individual beauty.

From elaborate pieces inspired by the lush enchanting rainforest surrounding me to minimalistic designs that let the stone shine, I channel the stone’s energy as I meticulously saw, stamp, shape, and solder. Adding rustic patina and restoring its shine, I cradle the stone in its eternal bed of silver, watching it dance with joy.

You can find more information on how to be notified of my One-of-a-Kind collection launches on my website or by joining my treasured clients and signing up for my VIP List. My website is also home to a more simplistic line, ‘Silver & Seeds,’ which showcases sterling silver earrings and seed beadwork. Additionally, I collaborate with a few wholesale accounts in art galleries throughout southeast Alaska because I enjoy supporting our local brick and mortar stores.

As my business evolves, I allow it to lead me naturally, embracing the connection with my clients and creating meaningful jewelry together. Recently, I’ve introduced Custom Consultations via my website. During our initial consultation, we will explore the significance behind each piece. Next, I will showcase an assortment of stones I’ve chosen intuitively for the client based on what we have discussed. I carry a wide selection that I have thoughtfully sourced from other small business owners whom I’ve grown to know personally and who cut the stones themselves. Once the client chooses a stone that they personally connect with, I will craft a design that resonates with their energy and intertwines my artistic vision. Witnessing clients’ joy as they receive their special jewelry is one of the greatest perks of the job. I genuinely believe that each stone finds its destined owner, and I’m grateful to serve as a conduit on this uniquely special journey.

Throughout the years, I’ve proudly embraced my passion for jewelry making despite the challenges that arose in my remote location, where traditional schooling was a distant dream. I navigated through trials, errors, and heart-rending mistakes, paving my path to success. Today, my business is flourishing, growing beyond my imagination, and I’m thrilled to embark on a new venture – moving from a cozy corner in my garage to transforming an old shipping container into my very first official jewelry studio where my husband will be joining me and I’ll be teaching him how to smith this winter during his off months from commercial fishing. If you’re curious to follow behind the scenes of the shipping container transformation, I’ll be posting timelapse reels over the coming months of the entire process on Instagram. We’ve already started and the transformation is a pretty exciting process for us as we’ve locally resourced wood and other supplies, supporting small businesses and local craftsmen on the island.

Every day I step up to the bench, I continue to learn and grow. Silversmithing demands problem-solving, endurance, and hands that don’t shy away from being torn to shreds. Each stone passing through my bench and every wearable art piece I create is infused with authentic passion and loving energy, ready to embrace the world with its unique and enchanting charm.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

When I glance around my jewelry shop, it’s always a complete mess, and I used to find these messes annoying because I struggled to work in clutter. Despite my efforts to keep my space clean, one day, it struck me that these messes were a visual representation of the outpouring of ideas from my brain on a daily basis.

As a creative, staying organized can be challenging, even though running a business from my art demands it. Sometimes, creatives are misunderstood as flighty or unreliable, but our brains work differently and we need to embrace that.
Everything comes in cycles and waves. There are certain times of the month when I feel more task-oriented, ready to accomplish business goals or tasks. On the other hand, there are moments when a complete outburst of ideas washes over me, and I let it flow freely. Embracing the natural ebb and flow of our creativity, rather than resisting it, is where the real magic happens.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I feel like this goes without saying, but continually supporting and lifting each other up as we walk through this creative process together is so important. I’m one of those people who genuinely enjoys seeing others succeed, especially when it’s someone who has worked tirelessly from the ground up, finding their way to make their dreams come alive. The term “starving artist” is no joke, but it doesn’t have to be a forever label. Someone once gave me the confidence to turn my artwork into a thriving business, and I believed in myself because they believed in me.

We can support artists and creatives in various ways: spreading the word by sharing directly with your friends and family, sharing social media posts and stories of a piece or artwork that inspires us, choosing to buy handmade, handcrafted items from actual humans as gifts for ourselves or loved ones, and reaching out to the people who inspire us and letting them know how much they do. Building a community that supports the artistic and creative endeavors is the way art continues to grow and evolve. On one of my social platforms, I’m part of a group of silversmiths, and every Friday, we share each other’s work in our Stories. I can’t even count how many times each of us has commented in the group discussion about how new clients have discovered us through other artists. It’s truly a testament to the power of sharing. How amazing is that?!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.twistedginger.me/
• Instagram: @twistedgingerjewelry
• Pinterest: @twistedgingerjewelry
• TikTok: @twistedgingerjewelry
• Threads: @twistedgingerjewelry

Image Credits
Erin Kandoll