The process of transforming metal and stone into small wearable works of art feels akin to magic. Through sawing, filing, hammering, and soldering, I find purpose and camaraderie in continuing the 150,000-year human tradition of jewelry making and adornment. Wyoming is a state of incredible natural beauty and expansive wilderness areas, and hours spent meandering under wide-open skies; through prairie flowers, sagebrush seas, and stands of juniper and ponderosa directly inspire my work. By combining geometric shapes and patterns with the organic curves of native flora and fauna, I create pieces that feel comforting and grounded while reflecting this part of the world I am fortunate to call home. Each piece of jewelry I create is a small talisman of this vast, rugged landscape, and a love song to the American West that can be worn around the neck or placed on a finger. Wearing handmade jewelry invokes a sense of place, belonging, and connection to the earth and each other, and I truly hope my pieces become treasured heirlooms passed down through future generations. 

Erin Clarendon is a metalsmith from Laramie, Wyoming. She studied metalsmithing at the University of Wyoming and lives with her husband, two dogs and a cat. In her spare time, she loves running through windy Wyoming prairies and playing clawhammer banjo.