Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Stacie Florer

I became a late bloomer creatively when I was about 37 years old.

I was working in the Real Estate industry, but felt like something was missing from my life. I was on my lunch hour one day, and wandered into a jewelry store. The owner was there, at his jewelry bench, and I spontaneously asked him what one had to do in order to learn how to make jewelry. And all of a sudden, I found myself confiding in this complete stranger that my life didn't feel like it had any meaning. I started to cry, and was astonished by the emotions that were spilling out of me. He listened, and said, "You start by doing it. You will figure it out, but I have to get back to work now," or something along those lines. It was one of those moments in my life where I heard exactly what I needed to hear--no more, no less.

I made a trip up to Seattle the next weekend to see a friend, and she took me to a bead store. I bought some beads after the owner of the bead store showed me how to form a loop in a headpin and attach it to an ear wire. I grabbed onto beads like a life preserver, and was content to make beaded jewelry in my spare time.
About a year passed, and my husband and I decided to sell most of our possessions and our house, and we went on the road with his business as a computer consultant. We were living in Singapore, and one day, as I was walking around the Arab part of the city, I ducked into a perfume shop to get out of a rainstorm. As I was poking around a back room, I found a box with some old tribal jewelry from the areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. In one brief moment, I found my passion in oxidized metal. I told myself that I would learn how to make metal jewelry one day, and on that day, my life changed forever  I couldn't get the way that jewelry felt to me emotionally out of my head.

I was determined to learn how to work with metal in a meaningful way.
 After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, we were transferred to Metairie. While back in the States, I saw an article somewhere about Lynn Merchant's wire work. Her jewelry made my heart pound like it did in that shop in Singapore. I found a jewelry supply store and began my creative career in metal. I attended my first craft show where I sold my work and never looked back.
My work with retail links and more information can be found at www.stacieflorer.com.
I write a blog too http://soultosubstance.blogspot.com/ and write jewelry tutorials and teach metalsmith classes.

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful things, glad you followed your heart. xox

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  2. Stacie, welcome to the late creative bloomers. :)

    I absolutely love your story and how you followed your heart. I have to admit I'm not much of a jewelry person other than wearing my wedding rings and family ring. I rarely wear earrings or necklaces. But when I looked at your work, uh oh! Something stirred inside of me and I love every single item you made. So I wonder what that is all about? Am going to become a jewelry wearer I wonder? I'm adding your post to one of my Pinterest boards for future reference. Maybe even adding to my wish list board.

    It's lovely having you here. xo

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  3. Thank you Suzanne...believe it or not, I am not much of a jewelry wearer either...at least, not the jewelry that you buy at the department store or at a Zales type of place. I think I initially became interested in this sort of jewelry when I was a kid..I had a distant cousin visit me from California. She was about 18 to my 12, and she was wearing silver jewelry that seemed made to be worn just for her. It was more like an extension of her very off beat and wildly exciting personality. That was the first time I had seen this sort of jewelry, and it stuck with me. When I was in Singapore, it clicked that there was something about tribal jewelry that was just calling my name...here in the states, it has morphed more into art jewelry, but the feelings and emotions I first recognized as a girl are the same when I wam contact with it. Thank you for your warm welcome...

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  4. Hi Stacie! I am so glad you're a late bloomer, because you are also a BEAUTIFUL bloomer! In addition to having a creative touch, I believe you have a creative heart and soul. I always enjoy my interactions with you. You are inspiring and motivating and seem to give a nudge in just the right place, at the right time. Cheers to you!

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  5. Stacie, I love your jewelry. Really love it! Your comments about tribal jewelry and your cousin's silver jewelry are so interesting. I like that idea of not looking like something that came out of a department store.

    You have quite a gift, and your website and blog are wonderful.

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  6. Stacie....your jewelry is just WONDERFUL and so fabulously unique!!! I am so glad you found a way to express your creative voice and hope that you keep "singing!!!" Thank you so much for sharing your inspiring story! xo

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