We were lucky to catch up with Holly Parkhill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Holly, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I am a self taught metalsmith. I learned via the internet (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook collaborative groups)

There are several ways to do things. The way I progressed is by practicing relentlessly, but I do believe that if I would have had a teacher or taken some classes, there would have been a lot less wasted metal in the beginning.

I think that patience is the most essential. You also need to spend the time practicing and perfecting your craft. Hard work and a positive mental attitude goes a long way. There will be days where nothing goes right and you have to be ok with that, learn from your mistakes. Having a community of talented individuals available is a huge plus as well. There is a great group of men and women who give advice and share their tips & tricks.

Time and money are the only obstacles. I work a full time job, in addition to furthering my metalsmith passion. So, having dedicated focus and drive after a long day’s work is a challenge. In a perfect world, you have nothing but time and extra money to buy lots of tools, jewels and metal supplies.

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 introduction to metalsmithing is credited to my husband. He was expanding his knowledge of metal working, learning to make coin rings & becoming a certified welder. I was fascinated by the process of the metal melting and bending to form. When we were younger, he and I used to fix up Hot Rods together. Then the Spark…anything he can do; I can do better We looked on offer up for jewelry tools and came across a listing that included some starter items. Torch, soldering board, plyers etc. I placed a small metal order and made my first ring. It was impressive… and terrible, but it was a ring and it had a stone and I had made it by melting and shaping metal. I was hooked.

Being that metalsmithing is not my full time job, all of my learning had to be done after an 8 hour day and on the weekends. I found that my time at my bench was something I looked forward to, a space for relaxation. Because of that, it was easy to be disciplined in my learning.

Initially I started selling primarily to family and friends. I would get custom order requests & repair work for old jewelry that had been sitting in jewelry boxes. I was their personal jeweler and I loved every bit of it. As my skills and confidence grew so did my desire for my creations to be out in the world. I recently started selling in small makers markets in San Diego.

As you grow, so does your tool collection. I took an extreme fascination with vintage jewelry. It led me to find an artisan community who use vintage jewelry Dies from the 18-1900’s to make jewelry. I loved the idea of incorporating history into my designs, giving some reflection into the past. I have since acquired 100’s of vintage dies that I use frequently.

What sets me apart from others is that my designs are unique, like my brand (This Way That Way). Some things are done This Way, some things are done That Way, but no two things are done the same way. All of my jewelry is done in small batches. Each piece is unique and one of a kind. All things are made by me and my two hands- and that is what I am proud of the most.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is my customers. When a customer finds a piece that lights them up, when they put it on their finger, neck, wrist etc and you see pure joy. I take in every bit of that and it’s my fuel to keep creating.

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

As a society we favor quick and easy, mass production, low cost, poor quality goods. Sure, there’s an appeal. I like my hard earned money to stretch as far as it can too. What people don’t consider is that, you may have to buy that item several times over- so your overall cost are higher. But when you support Artisans, you are supporting a trade, a skill. Someone other than a machine. This person spent their most coveted resource, (their time) into creating that item. It should be valued much more. It may cost more initially, but will likely last longer. I try to shop small business, handmade whenever possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thiswaythatwayjewelry.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thiswaythatwaystore
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisWayThatWayStore
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thiswaythatwaystore

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Holly Parkhill