We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liz Scigliano a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Liz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Making a necklace for my grandmother, Ruth, was one of the most meaningful projects to date. She had exquisite taste and enjoyed wearing and gifting jewelry throughout her life. She was the most supportive grandmother, encouraging and complimenting of my work, even in the early stages. I made her a gold necklace inlayed with rare Lapis Lazuli from Crested Butte, Colorado. Not only did she love Lapis Lazuli but she lived in Colorado for several years when she was younger. She wore the necklace with pride, showing her friends what her granddaughter had made her. This past Spring she passed away and gifted me back the necklace, I wear it everyday as a reminder of her and the memories we shared.
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?
The first ring I ever made was created by taking leftover copper wire from my uncle’s garage and hammering it to form. I proudly wore this ring on my thumb for years. I soldered my first ring, also copper, at a meditation retreat up in the mountains west of Boulder. A retired art teacher had brought her torch to the retreat and taught a few of us how to bend, solder, and finish a ring. I instantly fell in love with the process; there were elements that required precision, elements that required patience, and elements that were down right badass- watching a flame melt solder on metal is very exciting. After learning the basics, over the course of several years, I continued to take metalsmithing, lapidary and stone setting classes at a local studio and started to gather my own tools second hand. I started small and humble, a small corner table with some files, a jewelers saw, pliers and small handheld torch. My first projects were a silver ring for my brother and a pair of silver earrings for my mom. The projects began to extend to other family members and friends. I eventually expanded my studio to an entire room in our house, adding more and more specialty tools over time.
Fast forward several years and I was laid off from my day job. I was completely uncertain what the future would hold and unsure if this was the time to take a risk and change things up or to dive back into a similar field. In the months following this big change, I decided to do what scared me the most, to take the risk and become an artist full time! I apprenticed under an incredibly talented Denver- based female jeweler learning lapidary, the art of stone cutting and shaping. Taking a stone from its raw form, cutting it to shape, and then using a series of diamond and resin coated wheels to shape, polish and refine the stone. This technique is used in stone inlay jewelry. I have been fortunate enough to have several incredible teachers over the years who have taught me so much, I will always be grateful for their mentorship.
As time went on, my passion for the art form was solidified and my desire to start my own company grew stronger. I obtained an old lapidary machine which I refurbished and bought nuggets of turquoise and slabs of Jasper from miners at the Denver Gem and Rock Show. I knew in my heart it was time to start a small business! My first commissioned work was for a wedding party to make all the groomsmen matching bolo ties. Since then I’ve made countless pieces which have found themselves into the hands of friends, family, and clients. I recently participated in my first in-person artisan market and loved making connections with clients and fellow artists. My work is also now featured at The New Local gallery in Boulder.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is to create beautiful pieces of jewelry that are part of the ethical and slow fashion movement. My jewelry is inspired by the formations, colors, and textures of my surrounding environment. Made responsibly with ethically sourced materials, each piece captures the beauty of local stones and gems from Colorado and the Southwest. I design, fabricate, and inlay each piece with intention and care in my home studio in Boulder, CO. Living in Colorado I am fortunate to be so close to the source of so many incredible stones. Gorgeous blue and green varieties of turquoise, jasper that looks like a landscape painting, and insanely dimensional agates. Two of my favorite stones come from Colorado- rare Colorado Lapis Lazuli from Crested Butte and bright pink Rhodonite from Ouray. I also use reclaimed stones, conflict free natural diamonds, lab diamonds, and recycled metals, when possible.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Seeing my jewelry worn and enjoyed out “in the wild” brings me immense joy knowing that I was able to make a tangible talisman worn and enjoyed for years. My hope is that each piece is made to last and becomes part of the personal history of the wearer – evoking feelings of connection with nature and timelessness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lizscigliano.com
- Instagram: @lizscigliano
Image Credits
Amy Ronk Photography