My name is Erin Marie Pfeiffer,
I have always been interested in art. As a teenager I mostly worked in clay sculpture and soap stone carving. I also did some painting, but 3D art was my first love. When I was 19 I decided I would like to try making jewelry so I went to the local bead shop and bought some supplies. I soon grew out of the odds and ends I could buy locally, so I started looking online. I was making medicine pouches and beaded panel necklaces, but the amount of work that went into each piece was so much more than what anyone was willing to pay.
In 2004 I was looking at my own collection of jewelry and it was all sterling silver. I thought “I could make that” so I started looking online at information about silver jewelry making. Then I went to the local library and took out a couple of books on gold and silver smith techniques–they showed me the basics; what tools to use, how to braise (solder), and how you should anneal the wire before you make something with it. I realized the seemingly limitless potential, and I was hooked.
I started looking online for silver suppliers, I only found one that I didn’t need a business account to order from. Three years later after many successful craft shows I decided to start a business. I called it Erin Marie Pfeiffer Jewelry & Design, EMP Jewelry & Design for short.
In the years since, I’ve done a lot of local craft shows, and farmers markets. In march of 2009 someone told me about Etsy.com and I started a shop. I am still constantly learning new things about making jewelry, I search the internet, I subscribe to magazines, and I listen to other jeweler’s tricks and ideas. If you are passionate about something you want to know everything you can about it.
My goals are to eventually acquire the equipment to cast precious metals and all the other things needed such as wax, and mold making supplies. Because if I could cast, my designs would only be limited by my imagination and sculpting skills!
Thank you for visiting EMP Jewelry & design’s Blog,
By Erin Marie Pfeiffer