We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michelle Spanyard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michelle below.

Michelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

It’s actually a series of projects that are all related. It stemmed from a desire to contribute in some small way to healing our community after a horrible tragedy. After the shooting that occurred on January 8, 2011 in Tucson, I had the overwhelming feeling that I needed to create something that could be used to raise funds for Child and Family Resources, in memory of Gabe Zimmerman who was one of the people who tragically lost their life. I had created the Tucson Heart pendant and partnered with my friend and owner of Bohemia art boutique Tana Kelch to get the word out about the fundraiser. Within a few weeks, we had sold hundreds of Tucson hearts and raised thousands of dollars in memory of Gabe. Many of the people on Congresswoman Gabby Giffords’ staff as well as others who were wounded, or lost loved ones started wearing the pendants, as they all felt it had a special meaning to them. This lead to Congresswoman Giffords’ staff commissioning me to create a one-of-a kind Tucson pendant for her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly as a birthday gift. He subsequently wore the pendant on his final mission as commander of the space shuttle Endeavour. Around that same time, I was commissioned by Roxanna Green to create a pendant in memory of her daughter Christina Taylor based on a drawing of a butterfly she had made in school. The sale of butterfly necklaces was part of an effort to raise funds for Christina Taylor’s memorial park.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started making jewelry as a hobby in the 90’s. I had been a collector of stones and shiny objects since childhood and as I was perusing a Sundance jewelry catalog one day, I thought “I could do that”, so I went to the local bead store, bought some supplies and set up a small workspace in the closet of a spare bedroom. Friends and family started buying my pieces and encouraged me to keep making. After a move to Tucson and a few jewelry classes at Tucson parks and rec, I decided to get more serious about my craft. With the support and encouragement of my husband, I invested in tools, built a small studio in the back yard, created a website and quit my day job. Trying to figure out how to build a website and approaching boutiques and galleries to sell my work was really daunting, but I eventually found Bohemia, which was a good fit for my work. The exposure I got in the media because of the Tucson pendants is what really put me on the map, so to speak. Since then, I have continued to take classes from other artists whose work I admire and honed my skills by spending years at the bench. I’m always trying to challenge myself creatively, both design-wise and by incorporating new techniques into my work. After all these years of making I’ve gotten to a place where I am confident in my ability and really proud of the pieces I create. I spend a lot of time making sure every piece of art jewelry I make is unique, beautifully finished, durable and comfortable to wear.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Most of my friends are artists and we often have conversations about how the clients who support our work “get it.” What we mean by this is not necessarily how they interpret our work, but more about how they have an appreciation for the work as the product of a human being who has put their heart and soul into its creation. They recognize the value of the work despite the fact that the maker may not be well known and the piece doesn’t carry a fancy designer label. These clients are the life blood of our small businesses and can best support us by spreading the word. If more people would buy from small artists and makers and then encourage their friends to do the same, it could make a huge difference in the life of that artist. So, society, seek out hand made art, visit local art fairs and galleries, and when you find an artist you love, be an ambassador for their work. It truly means the world to us.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Over the years, I have come to realize one of the most valuable resources for me has been other artists. When I was getting started, I was intimidated by other artists and lacked the confidence to engage with them about their challenges and successes. When I started selling my work in shops and galleries and interacting with my fellow artists, I realized we are a supportive community who enjoy collaborating, commiserating, celebrating each other’s successes and lifting each other up when we need a boost. I love sharing my knowledge with artists who may not have as much experience as I do, and I’ve also learned some great tips and tricks from fellow artists along the way. We all have to start somewhere, so if you’re feeling like you need some advice, reach out to your fellow artists.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://michellespanyard.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellespanyard/