Meet Heather Greenway | Metalsmith and Jewelry Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Greenway and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Ever since I could hold a pencil or crayon, I have been putting my ideas to paper via images, shapes, colors, and textures. I loved drawing as a child and, since then, have pursued many different artistic endeavors. The arts helped shape me and continue to be one of my driving passions. I studied painting and two-dimensional art at the University of Georgia and then earned my M.F.A. at SCAD. A few years after graduating, I found myself in a creative slump until I found my love for making jewelry. I started metalsmithing almost three years ago, but it wasn’t until last year that I was able to take the leap and become a full-time artist and jewelry-maker.

When I found metalsmithing, I dove head-first into the medium. I not only found it to be a veritable creative playground, I also found I could support myself part-time after about a year of intense study and practice. I’ve been very lucky to build a very encouraging and appreciative clientele and couldn’t have taken the next step to being a full-time metalsmith without them. This was an exciting and scary leap to make, but I knew it was necessary if I was going to really devote myself to this art form. I have really had to relearn how to balance my time. At first, I thought I had to be in the studio every day to accomplish anything. Eventually, I found that I like switching up my schedule. Sometimes, I like working 10 hour days during the week and then taking a couple of days off on the weekend (unless I have an artist market). And other times, I like to do a marathon stretch of working on a new collection and then taking a week off from the studio to focus on other aspects of the business and to gather my energy. I try to stay flexible from week to week, figuring out what my best work schedule will look like at that time.

My business is based on inspiration and I have worked hard to find those things that best serve this. I have found that I need my work to be one-of-a-kind and not mass-produced, in order for me to feel satisfied creatively. I learn from every piece of jewelry I make and I’ve found that I need to trust this process and not get frustrated if I feel like my progress is too slow. I’ve learned that it’s okay to not have something new to show every week and that the other aspects of this business never end. If I don’t feel inspired to be in the studio one day, there are a million other things I can be doing: taking photographs, updating social media and my website, communicating with clients, finding new gems and minerals, ordering new equipment and materials, and sketching out designs. Growing organically is a slow process especially when you are the creator, designer, maker, photographer, model, packager, and accountant. As a one-woman-show I have many roles in this business, and learning about each of them takes time. As any artist and creative knows: it’s a lot of work but I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I attended the University of Georgia for Painting in Fine Arts at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Graduating in 2008, I then took a year break at home to consider what to do next. I wanted to stay close to home because I really enjoy seeing and spending time with my family. After some thought and consideration, I decided to attend the painting graduate program at the Savannah College of Art and Design at their Atlanta, Georgia location. I began my MFA in 2010 and graduated in 2012. During this period, and in the years following, I evolved as an artist and became involved in the Atlanta art community. It was an exciting time of growth and I felt like I really began to find myself as an artist.

In 2017, I started to realize that I wanted to explore different creative mediums. I will always love painting for what it has taught me about design and form but I needed something that would drive me more consistently as a maker. I tried photographing various staged clay and resin miniatures. I began baking colorful cakes and pastries as a side business. Nothing seemed to stick for long. Then, in the Fall of ‘18 my partner suggested taking a metalsmithing class. We took one, along with his sister, so it became a family activity every week.

I already had a great interest in rocks and minerals so that was an exciting starting point for me—getting to make wearable vessels for special stones and gems. Something else that helped me begin my metalsmithing journey was being able to use tools that my partner’s father had left us when he passed away. During his lifetime he had always wanted to be a metalsmith but never found the space or time. But he did love going to flea markets and yard sales and found great deals on pliers, vises, hammers, and even silver. Over the years, he built up an impressive collection of tools and stones that helped me get started in this venture since these elements of the trade can be very expensive.

After completing the class, my partner and I continued to make jewelry in the living room and kitchen of our apartment. We had a small drop leaf table and started to experiment with different materials and stones. About six months later, we moved into our own house and that allowed us to have a room fully dedicated as a studio. For the past year-and-a-half we have been selling our jewelry at local markets and online. It has been incredibly challenging at times, but even when things are hardest, I always find inspiration in the materials themselves. The stones call to me even when it seems like I don’t know what to do with them. At times it feels like the designs reveal themselves. I love working with metal, it forces me to work slower at times, and to be calmer and more intentional than with any other art I have practiced. It’s important to me to keep growing and learning and I hope to explore casting and stone cutting classes soon. I’m so grateful for the maker and jewelry community that I’ve become a part of these past few years.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, prior to the pandemic, we loved going to see live music at the EARL and 529 in East Atlanta Village, and Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points. You’ve also got to visit Joe’s Coffee in EAV. Once, we can start going to concerts again, we will and encourage everyone else to support your local music scenes.

The High Museum is a great way to spend an afternoon and Atlanta Botanical Gardens is amazing.

Two years ago, we bought a house in Hapeville, just south of Atlanta and we love it here. You’ve got to visit Arches Brewing and their wonderful outdoor area and get a drink and some to go wine or beer from Beer Girl right downtown. Don Chon serves great Mexican food and JPresso is a cute newer coffee shop that’s also in downtown Hapeville.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank my partner Puma Navarro for giving me the confidence, support and love for all my adventures.

Website: Heathergreenwayjewelry.com

Instagram: @heathergreenwayjewelry