We were lucky to catch up with Kim Pearson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kim, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I had no idea metal was an option when it came to my relationship with art until my first year of college. I explored every medium out there from ceramics to digital media but none of them quite fit until I met Dangerfield Ashton who became my teacher and mentor. I started out learning how to weld large metal sculptures in the metal studio that was essentially a large shed located on the far edge of the university campus. I remember I was the only woman in my class at the time and to be quite honest, I felt very intimidated. It was in this class where I fell in love with metal. I learned how to use a welder and a plasma cutter. I also learned how to drive a fork lift, but we kept that a secret from the university. As a class we took trips to the metal junk yard, picked up supplies and constructed our creations. I was lucky enough to have one of my sculptures displayed on campus. Dangerfield taught me everything I needed to know about metal art. He introduced me to jewelry making and at first I was skeptical. I never thought of jewelry as art, I wanted to be an artist not a jeweler. I soon realized that jewelry is basically a small scale sculpture. The same elements of design are used to create each piece, and you still get to play with fire.

I dove head first into the craft. I was taught everything by hand from how to manipulate metal, how to use a jewelers saw, and how to apply mathematical formulas to obtain a ring measurement. Now days, there is a tool out there for everything. At times I feel the craft has gotten lost in the world of mass production, but there is nothing like the precision of a trained eye and hand. Now as I teach my own students, I am very grateful for the education that I received from my mentor. I am able to apply those skills that can only be achieved with time and experience at the bench and I believe that reflects in my work.

Throughout the years I have taken many different classes, and learned from some of the most amazing artists out there. Sadly I lost my mentor and friend a few years ago, but I have many friends I have made a long my journey who support and help me. I do not believe I will ever be done learning the craft. Learning for me is the fun part, the part that keeps me interested and motivated. With all the teachers I have had throughout the years, the most influential thing I have learned is that if we are not willing to teach others our craft, it will cease to exist.

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 Kim Pearson and I am a metalsmith. I own KP Silversmithing where I create fine southwestern jewelry and teach metalsmithing classes. When I am not at the bench you can find me in my garden, playing outdoors, riding horses or wrangling my kids.

I have a quaint little studio in Farmington, UT where I live and actually grew up. Although school took me to other places in the U.S., I ended up back in my home town where I finished a Masters Degree in Education and started teaching metalsmithing at the high school level. After sometime I left teaching and started my own business in 2014.

I started teaching metalsmithing classes in my studio last year. I wanted to create a space where students could come and learn a more in depth knowledge of metalsmithing with a more personalized experience. My classes range from beginner to intermediate with some specialized skill classes and also one on one instruction.

I participate in a few shows a year where I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. I love to share my process and what goes into making each piece with potential clients. It is a treat for me to actually get to know the person who buys my art rather then just getting a paycheck from my website. I think the most rewarding thing about getting to know my clients is when they make the effort to come back to see me at my next show.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I get to do what I love. Everyday I get to use my creativity to add value to someone’s life. I remember the first time I said that to someone. They looked at me like I was crazy. “How is making jewelry adding value to someone’s life?” they asked. Maybe not at that moment while I am creating a piece, but it comes when I am at a art show and I get to meet the person who purchases my jewelry. I get to hear their story, and I get to peek inside their reason behind why they chose that piece. Or when I am making a custom piece of jewelry for a client that includes a stone that was their grandmothers. Teaching for me has been a huge way to add value to others. I love to share my knowledge and skills whether it be for someone to start a career in metalsmithing or even a fun girls night out to learn something new.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think the biggest lesson I had to learn was to remember to be authentic. When money is involved, I believe our true authenticity has a tendency to lean into what is popular at that moment. When you are trying to start a business and pay the bills, what sells is usually what is made. I was observing other artist in my field, and wondering why they were making money and I wasn’t. My art was just as good, why wasn’t I receiving the credit I thought was due? We all know comparison is the root of unhappiness and I knew that, but I started to make pieces that would sell instead of making what came so naturally to me. I hit every creative roadblock you could imagine and burnout was the new norm. I didn’t understand why my business wasn’t flourishing. It took me some time before I sat down and honestly reflected on why I make my art. When I am true to myself that is when I create magic. I chose to take the income out of it. When I did this and I started creating pieces that energized me, new opportunities were available around every corner. My burnout was gone, and I even started to learn new skills that propelled my art into what it is today.     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kpsilversmithing.com
• Instagram: kpsilversmithing