Lauren Estes
Where to begin? I am a native Memphian. Artist. Financial Planner. I grew up in the art world with an artist dad and my fiance is a master carpenter. I have had tons of jobs since I was a little kid and have learned early on what it takes to run a business and use your hands to create. I have painted silk scarves and sold futons (forced summer jobs to get a futon, but I loved every minutes of it). In my early 20s I worked with an art dealer. To hold a Degas and be face to face with a Warhol - it was amazing.
My bench has never been this clean since this photo! Each tool has its own special purpose. Each scrap of silver is saved. Even the dust is collected to reuse or melt down. I am self taught mainly but have learned virtually through some absolutely amazing teachers. Silversmithing, enameling, etching - all of it is a continuous learning experience and I love it!
Silver Clay
I am relatively new to silver clay but love working with it to create intricate leaves and other settings. It captures each little crevice in these gingko leaves that I collected.