The BUST Craftacular @ World Maker Faire is fast approaching (Sat & Sun, Sept 20 & 21!) and since we have loads of pent up excitement about it we’ve been chatting with some of our wonderful vendors to bide our time until then. We recently sat down with Lindsey Eisentraut of Eisentraut Jewelry about her inspiration from nature and her family.
B: Tell us a little about yourself and your wares. What’s your main goal for your business, why did you start, how would you describe your brand’s personality? How did you get your name? You get the gist.
LE: I hand-make jewelry inspired by nature, family traditions and heraldry. All of my work is made from recycled metals, ethically sourced stones and organic objects. And every last detail is crafted by hand in New York City. My goals are modest: make beautiful jewelry for people who also love the natural world and to live every day doing what I love. In addition to making jewelry I am also the mother of a gorgeous 9 month old girl and I want to raise her surrounded by creativity.
B: How did you get started? What was the first thing you made/sold? What prompted you to start making?
LE: I started making beaded jewelry as a child, giving away my wares to family and friends. I began working with metal in college where I entered some local craft and jewelry shows in Colorado, still giving away most of my pieces. Later, in California, a graduate degree in sculpture is what really allowed me to start doing what I do now – designing, casting, fabricating and creating work that I am proud of.
B: What’s your current inspiration? Are you loving any particular thing or influence that’s showing through in what you’re making right now?
LE: I am inspired by the act of collecting ordinary objects – a stone, a sea shell, a bone – that make the transition from debris to treasure because of a special moment or place. I am intrigued by sentimentality of objects unearthed from personal histories – the weight of family and personal ties multiplies the value of an object many times over for each successive generation. By incorporating natural objects and symbols from the past alongside fine metals I aim to replicate the transition from familiar to precious, and to give each piece value beyond adornment.
B: What would be your one bit of key advice to anyone starting out as a maker?
LE: Start small and think big. Focus on a single collection or piece and consider how you will get it in front of those who will love it, and use your instincts and your heart in your design.
B: What are you most looking forward to about BUST Craftacular @Maker Faire?
LE: The people. I am so inspired by seeing the great makers that join shows around the country that I always feel more creative and productive afterwards. I love chatting and hearing different maker’s stories and inspirations. It is a great community to be part of!
All photos c/o Eisentraut Jewelry.
