“My relationship with jewelry began when my late Grandmother, Joni, invited me over to look through her jewelry collection and to take anything I wanted. She had a massive costume jewelry collection, so the two of us sat together on her bed and went through box after box. My Grandmother pulled out one piece at a time, telling me the story of where she was when she bought it and the funny anecdote that went along with it. From Detroit casino gift shops, to local beach vendors in Jamaica and everywhere in between. Sterling silver spider earrings, bracelets that looked like snakes, a sparkling cubic zirconia brooch that said “Motown”, a leather embroidered patch that said “Crazy Bitch”, cigarette cases with pearl closures. Each piece was over the top & so perfectly gaudy. Her taste was insanely eclectic and insanely… her. 

My Grandma had spent time working the counter at a local Detroit jeweler, so she had a few tools & some basic knowledge of jewelry construction. We sat on her bed together, surrounded by jewelry, for hours. Deconstructing. Reconstructing. Deconstructing again. Learning the correct way to open and close a jump ring. How to identify fine metals with a loupe. My Grandmother passed shortly after this day, which set me deeper on my jewelry journey. After she passed, I enrolled in my first college metalsmith course and 13 years later, have never stopped. My jewelry practice felt like a way to stay connected to her.

The craft of metalsmithing & jewelry making has always felt deeply personal. When I sit down at my bench, and begin working on a piece, I’m usually thinking about the person who will wear my jewelry and their own personal collections. I’m also thinking about my Grandmother. What she would like, her shoebox jewelry collection, what brooches she’d have attached to her leopard print faux fur. She was 1 of 1 and the exact type of person I envision wearing Mizski. 

Mizski is a celebration of deep diving into a craft, taking your time, and holding tightly onto pieces of you. I hope these pieces find a home in your own personal collections. I really loved creating them for you. <3”