Get ready to feel elevated and inspired by the amazing handcrafted jewelry from Verdante Studio! This artisanal brand is all about creating elegant talismans featuring vibrant natural gems, fine wire wrapping, silversmithing, wax casting & enameling, in silver and 14k gold fill. But what sets Verdante Studio apart is the intention and purpose infused into each piece of jewelry, which can serve as a powerful catalyst for connection and transformation. In this interview, we chat with Katie Rose, the artist behind the brand, as she shares her creative process and what makes her pieces so special.
Tell us about the products you make.
High-vibe handcrafted jewelry and elegant talismans featuring vibrant natural gems, fine wire wrapping, silversmithing, wax casting & enameling, in silver and 14k gold fill. Each piece of Verdante Studio jewelry includes a card with details about the stone’s qualities for an elevated and meaningful wearing and gifting experience. Verdante is grounded in the understanding that infusing jewelry with intention, from both the artist and the wearer, can be a powerful catalyst for connection & transformation.
Is there a story behind your shop/business name?
I'm thankful for a wise woman in my lineage, Mim, whose way of living and bohemian book of poetry, Messages from Verdante, inspired the name and ethos behind this jewelry line and artisan journey.
Verdante is a lush and vibrant utopia where our highest selves reside. It's a heart-centered place of curiosity, passion, purpose, and peace. Verdante embodies creating and living a life aligned with our most authentic expression.
This elevating North Star guides me in bringing jewelry dreams (my own and the clients I connect with) to life, elevating pieces from simple jewelry to wearable talismans infused with intention, for empowerment and kindred connection throughout life's journey.
What is your favorite product that you create?
My wax casted creations, like the tiny mushroom pendants and peacock feather ring, are my favorites because they exemplify the journey I've been on, from dreaming about creating the designs I envisioned to developing the skills to manifest these creations into reality. I love wax casting because it enables me to fashion a small sculpture in wax, and then alchemize it into metal.
Mushroom pendants are wax-casted and infused with intention as catalysts for connection and inspiration. Lovingly handcrafted, the Peacock Feather Ring was inspired by friendship in the desert. A symbol of transformation, it is truly a treasure from my journey, for your own. Discover elegant talismans & resonant gems at verdantestudio.com and on IG @verdantestudio
What does your art-making process look like?
As the sole artist and designer for Verdante Studio, each step of the creative process is deeply purposeful, and my clients feel the resonance when they find their pieces. Each sitting to create involves lighting a candle and setting the space with an intentional starting ritual. From there, I use pliers, wire, and small beads for wire wrapping, or pull out my sketchbook and stones to plan out designs that involve metal fabrication or casting. Then comes the fire 🔥. I fine tune each piece until it shines, then hand-finish each chain for a distinctive and resilient piece of jewelry. I complete the process with a closing ritual invoking the stone's energetic qualities, envisioning its connection to the person who will resonate with and eventually wear it, and energetically release it, with gratitude. Finally, I make a card detailing the gemstone's qualities and include a guided ritual for infusing the piece with meaning + intention, to personalize and carry the energy forward.
What led you to start your business? How did you get started and how the journey has been so far?
Creatively explorative from an early age, the seed of Verdante Studio was planted while I was in college at UT Austin, when I realized I wanted to start an Etsy shop. As this idea simmered, I explored a variety of mediums (stones, metal, computer chips...) and ideated on a name that could carry the elevating essence behind my designs.
While working as a marketing professional for a Fortune 500 company, my curiosity drew me from the well-worn path to pursue a creative journey of my own making. I launched verdantestudio.com while completing yoga teacher training in Bali, traveling for nearly a year as a digital nomad before returning to Texas. Now based in Dallas, I continue to find inspiration throughout my travels, creating new designs and sourcing unique materials around the world.
What makes your pieces special?
My jewelry is crafted from a desire to create, connect and elevate. Each piece is infused with meaning and mindfulness and incorporates elements and motifs from my studies and extensive travels.
Which of your pieces do you think make for a meaningful gift?
I love to recommend adjustable length gemstone necklaces and bracelets as gifts, such as the Karma Drop necklace, Samskara choker necklace, and balancing bracelet. This gives the giftee lots of styling options, and the included gemstone card helps up level the meaning conveyed in the gift. Getting a gift's sizing right can sometimes be challenging, so earrings are often a great choice for gifts as well. One of the reasons I love in-person pop-up markets is that I can help people choose a personalized gift that will resonate meaningfully with their loved ones.
How do you recommend using/styling your pieces?
Wear what feels good! Play with layers and mix metals if you feel like it! If it resonates, I encourage clients to work with the guided ritual card that comes with their jewelry, to infuse it with an extra level of meaning and intention.
What do you love most about running your business?
Freedom to direct my time and energy toward the projects and experiences I'm most passionate about
What inspires you, and how do you stay inspired?
I'm inspired by the connective nature of the things we adorn ourselves with, and this heart-centered connection is at the heart of my work. Someone once asked if my heart is my art, or my art is my heart, and honestly, both coexist. I'm continually on a journey to evolve my craftsmanship and stay open to novel creative stimuli, from the subtle to the striking, from art museums to architecture, fashion, street art, nature, and beyond.
What do you spend time doing when you aren't running your business or creating?
Yoga, meditation, reading, connecting with friends while enjoying Dallas and traveling internationally
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an artist?
Share your art – the world needs it!
How do you overcome creative blocks?
I sometimes think of overcoming creative blocks as moving stagnant energy. This can take many forms, from walking, writing, dancing, practicing yoga, and gardening, to physically or digitally cleaning and organizing spaces to invite fresh energy in. Experience has shown me that creative blocks can be teachers or indicators showing where life is out of balance, so it's about receiving this information and using the well-being tools in my toolbox to rebalance and come back to center.
Why do you think people are drawn to your style?
Many of my customers express appreciation for the elegance and quality of my pieces and the energy, intention, and care behind them, as well as my ability to bring their visions to life by creating customized pieces styled for a personalized fit. People are drawn to the stories these pieces tell and what they convey when they incorporate them into their aesthetic. I am very particular about my stones, metals, and the way that it actually feels to live in the jewelry I create.
Is your shop offering anything new at the Spring Bash?
I've been working with another female-founded small business to curate a line of apothecary essential oils paired with Verdante Studio's signature gemstone diffuser bracelets. Lava stones make wonderful oil diffusers, and each blend is designed to harmonize with the bracelet's stones, for specific energetic effects and an elevated wearing experience. I'm thrilled to be launching this new collection at the Spring Bash!
Anything else you'd like to share with us before we wrap up?
I absolutely love the Creative Arts Center of Dallas. Be sure to check it out! :)
Shop Verdante Studio and follow along on social @verdantestudio!