Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Goodwin.
Heather, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Twigs and Heather was started with a simple idea- casting a twig in sterling silver. That piece of jewelry was our first jewelry design. In 1998 I was working for Amory Casting in Jamaica Plain. It was a woman-owned business that cast jewelry designs for local artists. I fell in love with the craft. For years I worked to save money to start my own studio.
In 2000 Kerry and I moved to Portsmouth NH to start our own silversmithing company. We bought our casting equipment and starting casting organic objects and our own original designs. Twigs and Heather was born! For 17 years we have been participating in craft shows, selling online, and in-store and galleries throughout New England.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think you have to be very strong to be an artist these days. It’s not just about creating any more. You wear many hats and do many jobs. We are web designers, PR people, photographers, shipping and receiving, we travel to shows and open and close a 10’x10′ gallery almost every weekend. You have to stay healthy and hydrated! Each show we do is unpredictable. There can be bad weather and the dreaded windy day. We need to make enough inventory to look fantastic but we never really know what will sell.
I think now our biggest obstacle is the world itself. The economy isn’t great. There is political turmoil. We want people to find joy in our work. If the people around us are sad then art and craft businesses suffer as well. We have seen many ups and downs over the years.
Another challenge- We get distracted by our cats a lot.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We create sterling silver and bronze jewelry designs that celebrate the beauty of nature. Our designs start with a handpicked organic object. Some of our favorite things to collect are twigs, maple seeds, acorns, seashells, sea glass, and pebbles. Every season brings us something new to find. These found treasures are all native to the Atlantic Northeast, our home. These organic designs are what Twigs and Heather is known for. Our maple seed necklaces and earrings are very popular because they are sentimental and remind people of their childhoods. Did you ever put one on your nose? Watch them twirl down from the trees? We love to hear their different names from our customers. Maple seeds are called helicopters, Whirley birds, nosey, and whale tails.
Our jewelry designs are cast in sterling silver and bronze using our own “natural burnout” casting method. We have perfected this process over the years. This allows us to make an exact replica of the organic object in metal, preserving its beauty. Other designs are made using traditional metalsmithing techniques. Our pebble stack collection is drilled and hand bezeled in sterling silver and findings are fabricated from sheet and wire. We keep our designs simple like nature itself. It’s hard to improve on that!
We are very proud of the fact that we put an emphasis on recycled and found objects because preserving the environment is very important to us. We use “green” methods in our studio whenever possible.
I think what sets us aside from other jewelry designers is that our designs are special to our customers. Our designs are sentimental and remind people of memories and places in their lives. What really sets us apart from others is that we are twin sisters who work together doing what we love. We are a two-headed monster. We look alike and we finish each other’s sentences. I don’t know if we could ever do this without each other. Our designs complement each other. I work with the organic objects. Kerry makes the rock n roll, Day of the Dead, Love inspired pieces. Our styles are different but they have the same feelings attached to them. We are pretty lucky (#blessed)!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
We are strong women who make our own rules.
We love being artists. We have a crazy work ethic and we never stop being creative. We try new things but know what works. We are inspired by our surroundings and the New England area. Each piece we collect is hand picked. We are hunters and gatherers. Our hears are full of love for our family and our surroundings. We care about keeping our environment healthy and reminding people how special something as simple as a twig can be.
Contact Info:
- Address: Twigs and Heather
271 Western Ave. Lynn MA 01907 - Website: www.twigsandheather.com
- Phone: 781-405-2569
- Email: info@twigsandheather.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twigs-and-Heather-125874851276/
- Other: www.twigsandheather.etsy.com
Image Credit:
Kerry Alice Collins
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
