We recently connected with Kevin Murray and have shared our conversation below.

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

My most meaningful projects come from a place of historical significance. Chasing down the history of an item that has been forgotten by time is such a thrill to me! A jewelry project that comes to mind is, “Fighting Rings and Les Apaches”, which took eight months of research and gave me the opportunity to work with several museums in Europe. At one time, these “defense” rings were mass produced and purchased by mail-order catalog, but good luck finding any trace of their existence now!

Working from photographs of museum and private collection examples as well as old advertisement illustrations, another artist and I were able to create a reasonably accurate reproduction of these grotesque style rings used by the infamous Parisian street gangs “Les Apaches”. Additionally, there is a 24 page booklet that accompanies the reproduction of this piece featuring a selection of advertisement examples of the ring and anecdotes on Les Apaches from 1899-1932.

The enjoyment that I get from going this deep into a project is incredibly fulfilling. Being able to resurrect an artifact and share that story with other people, to educate through my work, that is the direction I would like to be exploring further in 2023. In fact, there will be another ring with a sordid history that will be released early in the new year- this one goes back to the 1700s!

Kevin, 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?

I was a fabricator for many years before going full time on Rough Co. I worked in custom cabinetry/ architectural millwork and steel fabrication. The projects ranged from high end furniture to experiential marketing activations and everything in between.

My career is one that has always been driven by a deep appreciation of aesthetics and materiality, across all design disciplines. Now I use that same drive and practiced eye to curate antique and vintage mens jewelry, every day carry items, as well as unique curios and novelties. Rough Co. also produces very limited collectible small batch goods as well as made-to-order rings.

I am always looking for more collaborators and co-conspirators, interesting projects, and history to uncover. Don’t be shy, get in touch if you would like to work on something!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the process. Meeting and working with exceptional artists while digging into my passion to learn new ways of making/creating is such a high. To bring something from concept to tangible product can be a very humbling experience, but also a very rewarding one.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

A resource I wish I knew about earlier, which may sound obvious, is social media.

I want to encourage people to reach out to other artists, creatives, and makers who inspire you or who you would like to collaborate with. You would be surprised at how many people are more than willing to answer questions, help out, or work on a project with you… you just have to ask! To have this many talented people be this accessible is an invaluable resource and one that I wish I had taken full advantage of earlier. I now work with artists, craftspeople, and collectors all over the globe; the community that you can build on these platforms is limitless.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RoughDesignCo.com
• Instagram: @RoughDesignCo

Image credit:
Engraved money clip: In collaboration with Jackie DeMay
The sterling Apache ring: In collaboration with Dan Michael