Moose Spotlight: An Electrifying Passion for Art
Ashley Anderson, also known as @blacksheepjewelrywv on Instagram, has been in the world of jewelry-making for a total of three years now and has started electroforming for two years.
@blacksheepjewelrywv on Instagram
What inspired her to start creating jewelry is because she needed a creative outlet - being a stay-at-home mom for several years. Growing up with a love of crystals and gemstones, she wanted to find a way to incorporate these things into art. Ashley said she played around with wire wrapping and soldering, which she found herself terrible at. Once she discovered electroforming, she fell in love!
However, no matter how fun it all seems, jewelry-making is not a piece of cake. Ashley told us with electroforming, she thinks there are multiple learning curves to it, especially when trying new subjects. She said working with fragile, organic pieces are some of her favorites because of the way they challenge her abilities. She can even remember a piece she made which was an old snakeskin shed which she electroformed around a deer tine and accented with turquoise. According to Ashley, it was the most delicate thing to handle, but the outcome was worth it!
When it comes to nature, Ashley’s work is influenced by it in the sense that each piece is inspired by nature in a major way. Most of her subjects come from the earth, whether it is crystals, bones, botanicals, or insects. Describing the relationship of nature to her pieces, she stated it beautifully as, “Nature knows what it’s doing more than I do, so I love letting the natural textures and colors lead the way for a design.”
As turquoise lovers, we wanted to know what Ashley likes about it. She said she fell in love with turquoise at a very young age. Her Poppy was a lapidary artist and worked with wire wrapping and sterling silver jewelry as a hobby. Her Nanny, on the other hand, always had an affinity for turquoise and even wore handfuls of turquoise rings that her Poppy made for her. As a kid, Ashley recalls that those rings are some of her clearest memories.
Here are a few examples of her spectacular work!
by @blacksheepjewelrywv on Instagram
When we asked her for advice for her fellow creators, Ashley said to not get lost in making things just to sell them. “Money is great, but don’t lose sight of why you started making art in the first place.” Indeed, always remember your passion for your craft!
What do you like most about working with Turquoise Moose?
“The quality of the stones and the variety of turquoise is unbeatable. I can’t wait to get a hold of one of the ring sets!”
- Ashley Anderson
