Moose Spotlight: Keeping The Art of Jewelry Alive and Owning Your Fire

At age 24, Sherri Burch began creating jewelry. Over 30+ years later, she is still as passionate about the art of jewelry making as she was when she first began.

 

More than creating jewelry, it is important for her to keep the art alive; for her, that means inspiring and teaching others while remembering that true creativity is a soulful act. Sherri's goal is to help her students expand beyond the actual art, to a place of spontaneity, curiosity, and community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sherri Burch of Studio3 Jewelry | Photo Credit to Scott Sturdy Photography

 

 

 

 

 

Studio3 is based in Canton, North Carolina, Sherri created Studio3 to have an avenue for others to learn and come together to co-create - and she considers this to be an honor. 

Team Moose had an opportunity to interview Sherri Burch and her journey both in jewelry making and teaching jewelry to artists. Let’s get to know her more!

 

 

 

What motivates you to continue what you do?

The community that the classes at Studio3 creates motivates me daily. Watching new friendships emerge and the sharing of creative ideas. Witnessing the sparkle in a student's eyes when they complete a piece of jewelry. I love it when someone remarks that Studio3 is their safe place and their therapy.

 

 

I think creativity keeps people sane and joyous and that coupled with community, makes me smile and realize I am doing something valuable. Deeply motivating....

 

 

 

 

 

What do you see as most rewarding in teaching?

 

Knowing that I am doing my part in keeping this art alive. Following my heart which really wants to be creative. Developing fun, creative and inspiring workshops brings me great joy.

 

Do your students take your classes to pursue jewelry-making professionally or they’re mostly hobbyists?

 

I definitely have a mix of students. Some for the pure fun of it and others with plans of making it professionally.

 

 

What is your number one piece of advice for rising creators?

 

 

"Own your fire!" This piece of advice started spontaneously when I was encouraging a student not to be afraid of the torch, but to own it. I started telling her to "own her fire" when she was anxiously about to solder.

 

 

Those words turned into more than just that. What it also means is to take charge of your own creativity and be courageous. As Henri Matiesse said, "Creativity takes courage." My mission is to support women artists and I do this by reminding them to "own their creative fire."

 

 

What do you see as the future of jewelry-making?

 

 

Social Media has created larger jewelry artist communities and this is a beautiful thing....bringing together lapidary artists, tool makers, teachers and students from all over the world. I think this positive trend will continue and the communities will remain to grow and support each other.

 

 

I see teachers getting more inspired, tool makers getting more creative and in general everyone helping everyone to learn, encourage and get better and better at what we do!

 

 

Anything else you want to share?

 

 

 

I think that the Studio3 community has become very attractive because people come to classes not only to learn jewelry art, but also to be a part of something bigger. Deeply interwoven in connection is creativity. As a species, it is coded in our DNA. We connect and we create.

 

 

However, we have all been sold a story that we are not good enough and that story is a lie. My vision is to sell my students a new story…the truth. Not only are you good enough, but you are also amazing! You are inventive, creative, powerful, and deeply important. The world needs your expression. Without creativity, the world would be a very boring place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creativity brings color and expansion and love. Creativity touches the soul….it communicates with divinity. Healthy creativity expands, invents, designs, and originates new things and new relationships. It brings people together instead of apart. That is worth fighting for and worth doing the rest of my life.

 

 

Interested in being part of a beautiful community while learning jewelry? Studio3 offers classes for beginners and experienced jewelry artists.

 

 

Check out Sherri's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio3jewelry/

Learn more about Studio3: https://studio3jewelry.com/