My mother always got us excited about weekend craft projects when we were growing up, and my parents were very supportive of me furthering my creativity. I also began to really love playing with my mother’s and grandmother’s collections of jewelry, and pretty soon that evolved into me making my own jewelry.
Danielle Vaillancourt
-I'm constantly hunting for found nature objects
-One of my most favorite things is cheese
-I have four cats
-I also like to crochet
What got you started crafting?
My mother always got us excited about weekend craft projects when we were growing up, and my parents were very supportive of me furthering my creativity. I also began to really love playing with my mother's and grandmother's collections of jewelry, and pretty soon that evolved into me making my own jewelry. I never lost the passion for jewelry and creating as the years went by, and eventually earned my BFA in Jewelry & Metalsmithing at RISD.
What is your source of inspiration?
I've always loved making things and in turn collecting things that inspire me to make more things. I find a good portion of my inspiration in nature- patterns, forms, shapes, textures, etc. Here in New England we have miles and miles of forest, beach, and gardens that provide endless inspiration for my work.
What have you made recently?
My most favorite recent piece was a necklace I made for an old friend that just had her first baby. She wanted something to represent her daughter's birth. I handcrafted her birth-flower, a waterlily, in sterling silver and set her birthstone, a ruby, in the center. The waterlily itself was made with 3 layers of silver cut and formed to fit into each other on top of a lilypad. Not only was I extremely satisfied with how it came out, the fact that it was such a sentimental piece for someone I've known for years made it that much more special.
Where do you sell your crafts presently?
Currently I'm selling on Etsy, and of course my friends and parents have been helping to spread the word, helping me to get custom requests. I've started applying to craft fairs/shows this year, hopefully I'll be a vendor at many of those!
Why are handmade crafts important to you?
I appreciate the time, work, and soul that goes into handmade objects being an artisan myself. I like to support other craftspeople to spread the good karma and to help ensure that we will continue to have more than just factory-made uninspired items to select from when purchasing.
Find Me
LocationSomerset, MA
Email Address
Danielle Vaillancourt
Personal Website
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DaVineJewelry
Spring15
@DaVineJewelry
http://www.facebook.com/DaVineJewelry