Available Art

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Interview with an Artist: Dani Keith

here is one of my heart necklace and i will get one of here comes the sun!!
Floating Free Form Heart Available Here!
This week I'm starting something new!  I will be interviewing one of my favorite artists.  My first interview is with Dani Keith of Dani Keith Designs.  First of all let me tell you how we met.  It was a dark and stormy night....just kidding, it was January and I was at my first Handmade Triad meeting.  Handmade Triad is a group that I found on etsy made up of people who make all kinds of neat things.  She sat beside of me and her cute hubby sat beside her.  After the meeting I found her on Facebook and we've been chatting it up ever since.  Dani was nice enough to let me ask her some questions and if you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments, shes super sweet and I can almost betcha she'll answer them! ;)

How long have you been making jewelry?

I have been designing for 2.5 years and full time for 6 months.

What exactly is a metal smith?

As a metalsmith i forge and manipulate non-ferous metals(silver, copper & gold) into jewelry by using heat

I know you're a romantic and it really translates in your jewelry was that a 
conscious choice?

I am a lover of love and always have been...my art has always been from a place of happy, so I guess my voice as an artist has always been decidedly romantic.

Do you have any advice for people thinking about becoming a metal smith? 

I am 95% self taught, so I would tell aspiring metalsmith's to learn all they can from online and books and when they feel like they need to connect their brain with their hands invest in a really great in person class...it also never hurts to find a mentor.  

If you only had a split second to grab a tool from your studio which one would you pick? 

My torch (and a handful of metal)

What is your very favorite piece that you've made?

Each piece of mine is still pretty near and dear to my heart, it sounds weird, but when it finds the right person, I am always a little sad to see it go....but my absolute favorite is "here comes the sun" it is one of my first pieces that I created in mixed metals.

How did you know that it was time to start making jewelry full time?

I always had milestones that I had set in my head, once this many pieces sold, once I was in this many venues, etc...but in the end I just knew it was the right time...I am someone who has a plan a-z so once I felt comfortable with my contingencies the rest was like breathing (and none of it possible without the support of my husband)

Where do you come up with your design ideas?

I am drawn to color and texture...I see things around me and I start to either construct or deconstruct them into pieces...and then there is a lot of time spent at my bench exploring happy accidents.
Lets get to know you!

Whats your favorite movie?  Love Actually

Your favorite color?  dani pink!

If you were a superhero who would you be?  shhhh I am a superhero in training, name to be determined

If you could live anywhere were would it be? Wherever my David is, that is my home

You can find Dani on her website http://danikeithdesigns.com/ 

I hope that you enjoy Dani's  work and had fun getting to know her!
here you go...thanks again!
Here Comes the Sun, one of Dani's favorite creations

6 comments:

  1. thank you so much amber, i am beyond honored to be your inaugural interview!!!

    xo
    dani

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  2. yea! I'm so excited that you wanted to do it! I really enjoyed reading your answers...and I even did some snooping and found out that you've been married since 2002! You guys don't even look old enough to have been married that long!
    ambert

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  3. Great interview! Thanks so much for telling us more about Dani - her work is beautiful!

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  4. awesome interview ... your questions are most unique!

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  5. Thanks Kat and Sonya! It was fun thinking up questions!

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