About this episode

Kate Weber discusses her journey into metalsmithing and the challenges of pricing handmade work while staying true to the craft.

Kate Weber of Night Swim Designs joins me to talk about finding her way to metalsmithing during the uncertainty of 2020 after being furloughed from the travel industry. What began as something to fill the time quickly became a path she couldn’t imagine leaving, and working with metal felt like a language she already understood — a mix of creativity, structure, and problem-solving that finally clicked. In this conversation we talk honestly about what it looks like to build a life as an independent artist right now. We get into rising metal prices, slower sales, pricing handmade work sustainably, and the constant balance between creating what we love and making a living from it. Kate shares her thoughts on trusting your instincts, valuing your time, and why handmade jewelry should be seen as lasting work, not something disposable. We also talk about travel, nature, building a studio from the ground up, and the way working with our hands can bring us back to ourselves when everything else feels uncertain. This episode is a reminder that there isn’t one right way to build a creative life — only the path that feels true to you. Follow Along... Kate on Instagram: ⁠ @nightswimdesigns…

People in this episode

Host: Christine Mighion

Guest: Kate Weber

Topics covered

• metalsmithing
• pricing handmade work
• independent artist
• creative life
• sustainability
• craftsmanship

Keywords

• metalsmithing
• handmade jewelry
• pricing
• independent artist
• creative process
• sustainability
• craftsmanship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Night Swim Designs, Slowmade, Instagram, nightswimdesigns.com, christinemighion.com

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