About this episode

Kathleen Wille discusses her journey in metalsmithing, the significance of imperfection in handmade work, and the emotional aspects of custom jewelry creation.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Kathleen Wille, the artist behind High Five Lemon, for a warm and honest conversation about stones, perfectionism, custom work, and the deeply personal nature of making things by hand. Kathleen shares the story behind the name High Five Lemon, which began with her beloved pug, Lemon, and grew into a meaningful reflection on imperfection, handmade work, and the beauty of loving what others might overlook. From there, we talk about Kathleen’s path to metalsmithing, which began with a class many years ago, paused while she built a career in advertising, and returned at exactly the right time in her life. As a creative director by day and a metalsmith on nights and weekends, Kathleen speaks honestly about what jewelry gives her that her other creative work does not. Her work is rooted in stones, often simple and intentional so the stone can lead the design. We talk about trusting your eye, learning your own voice, and the insecurity that can come from comparing a more minimal style to the ornate work of other makers. We also talk about the realities of custom work, including the joy of working with customers who trust the process, the emotional…

People in this episode

Host: Christine Mighion

Guest: Kathleen Wille

Topics covered

• metalsmithing
• perfectionism
• custom work
• handmade jewelry
• creative process
• stones

Keywords

• jewelry
• metalsmithing
• custom work
• imperfection
• creative process
• stones
• pricing
• handmade

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: High Five Lemon

More episodes of Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths

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• Beth Judge - When It's Finally Your Turn to Come Home to Your Creative Self · June 17, 2026 · 59 min

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