Moose Spotlight: Nature-Inspired and Nostalgic Jewelry Creations

"Just keep creating! The more you do it, the better you'll get..."

- Bethany Lauster, @destroyed_with_love

MEET THE ARTIST

@destroyed_with_love on Instagram

THE JOURNEY TO CREATING JEWELRY

Meet jewelry artist Bethany Lauster from Pittsburgh, PA. She has been actively metalsmithing for 6 years now, and graduated with her BFA in Metalsmithing in 2006. Her gorgeous creations can be seen on Instagram @destroyed_with_love 💚

For Bethany, her journey got started in college. She recalled, "I was in college for my fine arts degree and took one metalsmithing class and was hooked! When I lit a torch for the first time, it was almost frightening and yet extremely empowering. To be able to manipulate metal, something that seems so solid, is incredibly satisfying."

When she was in school, Bethany remembered brimming with ideas and wanted to create lots of art jewelry. Cut to several years later without using a torch and tools, she had to totally refamiliarize herself with metalsmithing. In the process, Bethany said she melted pieces and broke lots of stones. The most important lesson she had to teach herself was to slow down.

Asked if Bethany still remembers the very first piece she sold, we were guaranteed with a lovely memory! "To be honest, I think my mom may have purchased my first piece - she is my biggest fan! I remember when I released my first semi-cohesive collection in Spring of 2017 on Etsy and a few people actually bought something. I was so excited that people liked my work enough to spend their hard earned dollars on it!" 🫶🏼

Curious if there's a meaning behind Bethany's brand name, she explained that it all started in college. She created the name Destroyed With Love because at the time, she was minoring in Fiber Arts and was big into sewing, destroying, and reconstructing grunge-style clothing to resell. She decided to keep the name to use for her jewelry because it's unique and always seems to catch people's attention.

Let's take a look at some of Bethany's beautiful creations! ✨

Double stone turquoise ring by Bethany Lauster of @destroyed_with_love on Instagram

Necklace by Bethany Lauster of @destroyed_with_love on Instagram

Handmade Jewelry by Bethany Lauster of @destroyed_with_love on Instagram

ARTIST'S DESIGN STYLE

Bethany's first AHA! moment as a jewelry artist was when she released her first cohesive collection - she felt like she had really accomplished something big. Explaining, "Each piece was my own, original design, the stones were all hand selected to work together in a group, there was an overall theme... it was really the first time I was proud of my work!"

THE DESIGN PROCESS

For Bethany, when designing for a collection, usually, she'd start with selecting stones that work together and are reflective of a specific theme. Second, she'd create bezels and use them to sketch the first few pieces to get a feel for design and the overall direction of the collection. Finally, she'd start constructing!

When it comes to style, Bethany uses both matte and shiny silver and gold and incorporates a multitude of beautiful stones which she usually designs around. "One thing I always try to do is make all my own components for my work and sketch out my own original designs which are usually organic and reflective of nature in some aspect," she expounded.

Here are a few more breathtaking pieces by Bethany!

Handmade Jewelry Creations by Jewelry Artist Bethany Lauster of @destroyed_with_love on Instagram

Jewelry Designed and Created by Jewelry Artist Bethany Lauster of @destroyed_with_love on Instagram

Handmade Jewelry Creations by Jewelry Artist Bethany Lauster of @destroyed_with_love on Instagram

JEWELRY DESIGN TIPS, TRICKS, AND HANDY TECHNIQUES

What's one design tip you one to share with your fellow artists?

"Even if you think you aren't good at it, sketch out your designs, or at least one or two of them before you start into a collection. It really helps to explore your ideas in a visual way without wasting materials."

One piece of technical advice on creating.

"Slow down and watch what you're doing! I can't tell you the amount of times I've melted a prong or bezel or wire simply because I wasn't paying attention to where I had my torch pointed. It sounds silly, until you have to scrap a piece or back up several steps because of it!"

Any words of encouragement or tips to those who are starting out in the world of jewelry-making?

"Just keep creating! The more you do it, the better you'll get. The better you get, the more advanced techniques you'll be able to use. That in turn, will spark new ideas and designs!"

Lastly, here's Bethany's lovely message to the universe:

Blog Feature for Bethany Lauster by Turquoise Moose