Laura Kempf - Wild Fern Jewelry

2022 | Eugene, Oregon

Photography by Tatie B

Tell me about your art and the inspiration behind it.

Growing up, I have always been artistic. I loved to draw, and color and I got really into photography. As I started to get older, I would find myself often choosing different hobbies and ways to express myself through different mediums. The rough part was that everything I started, never really stuck. I remember during the pandemic feeling the need to re-express myself creatively, however that might look. At first I started painting, thinking that was my niche, but slowly that fizzled out. I wanted something more, something I could throw myself into, lose myself in, and something I could do with my hands. That is when I decided to just go all in and finally try my hand at making jewelry. I started out by making a pair of simple, wired hoop earrings with turquoise beads. I remember feeling so accomplished when I finished them! I knew that I needed to try my hand at soldering. Crafting jewelry was always something I had an interest in. I had originally wanted to take a class up in Portland through Midnight Pacific but never got up the courage or the money to sign up for one. So, when I first began metalsmithing back in January of this year I really didn’t know what I was doing. I remember spending hours watching Youtube videos, reading forums, and scouring Instagram and blog posts about metalsmithing. I spent a lot of time building up the courage to reach out to other metalsmiths on Instagram and ask for help, and, to my surprise, most of them were more than willing to encourage me and share tips and tricks of the trade. It truly is an amazing community of people. I also found a lot of information from the Metalsmith Society, including a detailed list of tools you would need to begin metalsmithing.

My very first tools I got were actually from a local metalsmith I follow on Instagram who was looking for a place to donate some of her old tools that she didn’t use as much. I just remember feeling so giddy when they arrived in my mailbox. Much of what I use in my shop today has either been thrifted, or gifted including my desk that I found off craigslist for $20! Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got. A lot of my pieces I create are often inspired by my mood, by nature, and honestly, by others. Sometimes I am feeling bold and bright and I want to be able to express that through the way I adorn myself. I try and create pieces that will speak to others, that stand out and are unique. I have also become slightly obsessed with collecting stones. There are so many varieties, colors, cuts, shapes, and sizes of stones and minerals that Mother Nature provides. I find myself looking at cabochons (a gem or bead cut in convex form and highly polished but not faceted, specifically for setting in jewelry) all the time and imagining the pieces I could make featuring these beautiful stones.

One thing I have been learning about purchasing and sourcing your materials, is to also be aware of where they come from and who is sourcing them. I try my best to do research on where these stones are mined from and try to purchase ethically as much as I can. I want to be as sustainable as possible when it comes to metalsmithing. I try and use every scrap of metal if I can. There are ways to accomplish this, and by just doing a little research and asking the right questions to others in this field, I have found a way to make it work for me. I get most of my packaging from EcoEnclose who uses recycled materials and pack each box with materials that can also be easily recycled. It has been a slow process starting up with metalsmithing, but each time a piece is purchased or shared or liked, it continues to encourage me to keep working hard at what I do. I truly have fallen in love with this craft.

What’s your favorite nature spot in Oregon?

Picking one spot is hard when you have all of Oregon in your backyard. A spot that comes to mind, though, where I can recoup, fall in love, and never get tired of, is the Metolius River. It feels like a magical place, and I love the combination of dry desert and forest.