Showing all 6 results
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Mclaine Richardson
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JewelryBaroque Ring Necklace
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JewelryGypsy Collar with Druzy Pendant
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JewelryCosmic Cross Necklace
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JewelryME Rings
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JewelryPhish Earrings
Showing all 6 results
Margaret Ellis Jewelry
Mclaine Richardson
Nashville,
TN
Medium:
Jewelry USN alumna ‘04
“My love of art and design was fostered over thirteen years at University School of Nashville,” relates Mclaine.
“It was while studying abroad at Lorenza de’ Medici in Florence, Italy that I first discovered my interest in metalsmithing and jewelry design. A couple of years later I joined Margaret Ellis Inc. as a production metalsmith and quickly took on more and more responsibilities in studio management and design before ultimately purchasing the 30-year-old business from the legendary founder upon her retirement.
“As the owner and creative director of Margaret Ellis Jewelry, I continue to design and produce timeless handcrafted modern artisan jewelry with the assistance of a team of two experienced craftsman with over 80 years of traditional metalsmith experience.”
Get to know Mclaine better:
Our theme this year is Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. In the creation of your pieces, can you point to any examples where you follow these practices?
Margaret Ellis Jewelry has been committed to sustainability long before we knew what that word meant! Our sustainable jewelry is produced with a focus on minimizing its environmental and social impact. That involves using ethically sourced materials, environmentally friendly production processes and ensuring fair labor practices. Our made-to-order business model intentionally equates to minimum waste. We don't stock extra inventory. We reuse and recycle our scrap metal by working it into new pieces or by recycling with a local refinery. We also repurpose existing gold, pearls and stones into custom designs for customers to give them fresh new life.
If you could be any artist in the world, who would you choose to be?
I'd love to be Richard Avedon...not that I have an ounce of his creative vision. He captured movement and emotion in fashion photography. By eliminating distraction in his work, minute details that may have otherwise been overlooked were pulled into focus. He was able to experience the cultural shift of fashion magazines and create dynamic works of art with highly talented and diverse people. I was reminded after visiting the Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray Rendez-Vous exhibit at the Frist Art Museum this summer about how much I love the art of photography and silver gelatin prints. So much dimension is lost with digitals.
In terms of your art, where is the most inspirational place you've ever been?
I can't say that any one place has most inspired my work, but Florence, Italy stands out to me since that is where I first studied jewelry design. I’m inspired by something most everywhere I go...things that I see every day. Museums probably rank the highest as they are places where you can go experience a vast array of different time periods and cultures.
