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Jimmy Freeman
Jimmy Freeman
01:07

Jimmy Freeman

Wabi-Sabi Metal Studio

Denver, CO USA

"Don’t ever think your ship has sailed. Whatever age you are, whatever your experience level, and whatever art you’re doing, find your spot for that."

Career Roadmap

Jimmy's work combines: Art, Fashion, and Being Creative

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Day In The Life

Owner

I hand-fabricate sterling silver jewelry.

01:51

Day In The Life Of A Metalsmith And Jewelry Maker

My Day to Day

I make every component of a jewelry piece by hand. Any commission work I get goes to the front of my queue. Someone may contact me or come into my studio and request a piece of jewelry. We'll talk about the design and details of the piece. I'll give a price for it and start working on it. If I don't have any commissions, I'm always building pieces for inventory. I think about the next show that's coming up, decide what inventory I want, and then get to work. I also teach classes in the evenings.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

People will tell you that you can't make a living as an artist. It's up to you to decide if you want to try it anyway—and if you do, persistence is key. Set a financial goal that is somewhat attainable and then start down that path. As you spend more time being dedicated and focused on reaching that goal, you'll start to see progress. Then you can set your next goal a little higher.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

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Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    I’ve been interested in art since I was a child.

  • 2.

    Rather than go straight into the arts after high school, I started my career as a software engineer.

  • 3.

    While I had built a career in software development, I kept finding myself dabbling in the arts—I’ve tried out a variety of mediums, including woodworking, floral design, and beaded jewelry.

  • 4.

    I wanted to try my hand at something different, so I took classes in silversmithing at The Craft Guild of Dallas as a method of making components to incorporate into my beaded jewelry.

  • 5.

    I liked silversmithing so much that I took the leap to specifically specialize in metals.

  • 6.

    I relocated to Colorado and continued training at Denver School of Metal Arts and Boulder Metalsmithing Association.

  • 7.

    I’ve worked with silver for the last 15 years and have my own studio at an artists collective, Wabi-Sabi Metal Studio.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Society in general:

    You can't make money as an artist.

  • How I responded:

    People will tell you that you can't make a living as an artist. It's up to you to decide if you want to try it anyway—and if you do, persistence is key. Set a financial goal that is somewhat attainable and then start down that path. As you spend more time being dedicated and focused on reaching that goal, you'll start to see progress. Then you can set your next goal a little higher.

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