Sudlow Jewelry

Rachael Sudlow, of Sudlow Jewelry, is a metalsmith who displays in her work a wide range of techniques and expertise. Here is a short interview with Rachael:

1. Where do you live, and where are you from?

I was born & still live in Lawrence, KS. Proudly, the only county in Kansas that votes democratic. We're a fun little artsy town. I escaped only briefly for school in rhode island.

2. How did you get started working with metal?

AGES ago, in junior high I did a piece that was mixed metals & looked like a scarab beetle..it had moveable parts that swung around on rivets...I think it had 40 some. I did jewelry through high school & college as well.


3. What are a few of your favorite pieces at the moment?

the peapods are always my favorites...I wear them all the time & love to make them. As far as new work, I'm working at getting better at stone setting & playing around with faceted stones--it's a nice way to add sparkle & color to my work. But now I just want to buy super expensive pretty stones! My taste is getting more and more pricey.



4. What inspires you (artists, objects, interests)?

my pets! I've got a ton of fish (down to 4 fishtanks!) & my boston terrier pup, bella- They're great company & keep me from going insane as I work in my studio. The fish are only part of the fun with my aquariums, as I do saltwater tanks & grow all kinds of nifty corals.
Getting new tools always gets me motivated to try new projects. I have to test them all out! Plus the more I learn, the more I can teach in my jewelry classes I teach at my local arts center. It's so much fun to pass along the tricks I've learned.

5. Do you have any other artistic interests?
well I got my degree in photography, so I suppose I have an interest there. I got a bit burned out of it after 4 years though. My Cowscapes are my proudest bit of work- & I really should getting back to shooting more of them.