One of the most thrilling experiences of my life was taking a hot air balloon ride over the Rio Grande river when my husband and I were living in Taos, New Mexico. It was especially exciting because I am terrified of heights. But it was worth overcoming my fear, because on that day, I soared higher than I could have imagined.  As soon as the balloon landed on the ground, I grabbed a small pebble that I spied laying on the ground, put it in my pocket and promised myself I would make a necklace to celebrate my newfound independence from my fear of heights. And if you happen to see me in person, that is the necklace you will see around my neck, reminding me to let go of my fears, and live my life as fully as I can. What comes from my soul, travels through my hands and out into the world. That's what Soul to Substance means to me.

After graduating from college with a degree in Technical Writing, Stacie and her husband left Arkansas for Oregon. A friend in Washington state introduced her to beads, which in turn, led her to metalsmithing. Stacie has traveled extensively with her husband around the United States and Asia,  honing her design and metalsmith skills. While living in Singapore, the artist Chankerk taught her how to really  'see' shape and form. Back in the States, she had a metalsmith studio in downtown Chattanooga for two years, leaving again with her husband on an adventure filled year and half long tour of the United States in 2009. On this last trip, she studied wax carving and lapidary skills in Black Mountain, NC with noted jeweler John Beirle; mined for quartz crystals in Hot Springs, Arkansas; was a featured artist at the Arkansas State Capital for a month; discovered a lapidary artist in Taos, NM whom she uses his stonework exclusively in her designs; collaborated with noted Porcelain artist Katie Swenson in Eugene, OR for her show, “Poems in Clay”.

We all have stories.  We have a birth story...mine is that after a gazillion hours of labor, my head was very pointy when I was born, and when my father first saw me, it scared him to death.  At least once a year, I hear about my birth story and thankfully, my head rounded out. 

My first kiss was during one summer while I was staying with my Granny in Kentucky. There was a beautiful boy that lived next door to her, and one summer night, he kissed me. The next day, I left for home, crushed that my summer romance was over. I never thought I would get over it, but I did...and went on to marry the love of my life anyway!

My first love of bending wire into things to wear came from telephone wire. When I was a kid, we only had 3 television stations, so in the summer, my mother would kick my brother and me outside for the day, and ring a dinner bell for us in the evening. I befriended housing contractors, and would get great stashes of telephone wire in all sorts of marvelous striped colors to play with from the job sites around our new subdivision.  My father taught me some basic weaves and from then on, I dreamed of some day making a living with my hands. If you are stuck knowing what you really, really, more then anything want to do with your life, start excavating your childhood.  Back then, your interests didn't revolve around trying to feed, clothe and shelter yourself if you were lucky.  Your initial passions in life will lead you back to yourself. 

How would you describe yourself?

I am wildly curious and questioning, always looking for connections in unlikely corners of our world and on a lifelong quest to form the big picture and determine what my part to play is in this gigantic stage we call reality. I get glimpses behind stage right and left occasionally that leave me wanting to know more about what’s going on behind the scenes. I’m a pest that way.

What is your creative process?

I get inspiration from my life. I take my camera, go out and take photos of objects, colors and textures that just catch my eye in the moment. I look at this collection and notice patterns emerging...I may take my watercolors out at this point and paint what intuitively speaks to me, or I may go down into my studio and try and bring forth the forms and textures that are catching my eye...I play a lot too.  I never throw anything that I have made away; rather, I keep it and go back to it from time to time and see if I can use the glimmerings of ideas when I have learned a new technique to help that glimmer become a realized idea. 

Who are your influences?

I have many. I don't think any of us create in a vacuum. Every piece of jewelry we see stay with us in some way. But I do have a list.. Lynne Merchant, Connie Fox are teachers that have influenced me over the years and Mary Jane Dodd, Deryn Mentock, John Beirle, Maggie Joynt,   and Jes MaHarry are some working artists that I find inspiring too. 

What is your teaching style?

I can say that I believe I am an open book. I don't hold much back. I want to teach to the student, not to the project. The project is just the vehicle that the student and I use to connect on a deeper level to our shared creativity and ideas.  I think my purpose is to be your cheerleader and share with you what some of my own fears were and how I overcame them so I could get on with the business of making what I could only imagine. I want you to feel comfortable to ask questions; and if I don't know the answer, I will find out. Heck, we may even discover something new together! I used to be shy about using tools, and it took me a long time to get the guts up to be really terrible at something initially. I had good taste...but it took a long time to get my skills up to where I was proud of my work. Somewhere along the way, I learned that the journey into overcoming my own self limiting beliefs regarding what I am capable of were the real gemstones that I was working with and I relaxed into trusting the process of growth.