MEET THE MAKER: THIRD HAND SILVERSMITH
April 28, 2023
handcrafted, woman owned, locally crafted jewelry.
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unique vintage and independently designed clothing, small batch self-care products, and handcrafted artisan goods.
THIRD HAND SILVERSMITH.
The other day we sat down with artist Julia Dobie of Third Hand Silversmith in her charming home studio in Three Forks, Montana. Julia is a metalsmith who creates stunning pieces of jewelry that have been a long time favorite in our shop. Thanks Julia for sharing a bit of your process and journey with us all.
Can you tell us a little bit about how you got started making jewelry?
I started metalsmithing in 2018 while going to school for graphic design. I took a few metalsmithing classes and found that jewelry was my favorite thing to create. While still in college, I got a job at a boutique that sold the work of local artists as well as jewelry made on-site. I learned a ton about running a small business and jewelry production working there.
I've always had the desire to be a working artist, which ultimately led me to start Third Hand Silversmith. Owning and running a small business on my own is so much more complex than I ever imagined, but I love working for myself. I still feel bewildered over the fact that I get to make jewelry for a living!
What is your favorite season in Montana? Why?
Summer is hands down my favorite time of the year! Especially after the brutal Montana Winters, Summer feels like the best thing on earth to me. Watching everything come alive, the sunsets, the smell of sagebrush, lilac bushes, and dirt, the sunshine...just everything about it fills up my soul. I feel like I become the happiest, most inspired version of myself in the Summer--I only wish it would stick around a little longer!
What inspired your work the most?
The stones I use in my work drive a lot of my designs. I love looking for stones that catch my eye, and envisioning what they could become when enveloped in sterling silver.
Not having stones on hand to work with is always an interesting challenge, as the possibilities of metal alone are quite endless, and I have trouble narrowing those possibilities down into cohesive designs. However, I have a few simple, silver-only designs that have stuck with me through the years that I remake often.
The Third Hand Silversmith brand is guided by a mix of my own visual interests, internal dialogue, and the landscape around me.
What are you listening to?
I've been listening to a lot of folky country lately. Turnpike Troubadours, Paul Caulthen, and Colter Wall are some of my favorites from the genre at the moment! I feel like their music fits right into the small-town lifestyle.
How would you describe your style?
I'm definitely more adventurous with my jewelry style compared to my personal clothing style. Clothing-wise, I favor neutral colors, soft materials, and tend to wear the same few pieces over and over. Jewelry-wise, I like to play around with different stone colors, stamp designs, and textures. However, I always lean into clean craftsmanship, smooth bezels, and nature-inspired motifs.
What's your favorite part about what you do?
I love that I can connect to people through my work. As a major introvert, I've always felt that sharing the inside of my mind through creative practices like silversmithing and photography is the easiest way for me to let people in.
Alternatively, finding a creative flow. When I'm able to forget all of my earthly worries like time, money, and how something will be received by others, and am able to fully focus on creating the thing that is right in front of me without constraints. The flow is extra magical when the final product lives up to the energy I've put into it.
You can find a collection of Julia’s creations in the jewelry section if our web shop and in person at our brick and mortar, Cactus Blossom Collective.