Hello!
Yes, that is me kissing a raccoon. It's a quick but very accurate summary of who I am as a human.
My name is Becca. the B in B.Forever.Wild, and every piece in this shop, was made by me, start to finish, at my bench in Maine (and Wyoming before that).
Before I was a metalsmith, I was a field biologist's boots on the ground. I spent years working as a wildlife research technician, a conservation crew member and leader, and a trail crew member. I lived and worked in the wild open spaces of the West and along the rugged coast of my home state of Maine. That work taught me to look closely: at the curl of a fern, the pattern of a kingfisher's crest, the way lichen takes over granite. That's what you're seeing in my jewelry. I'm not designing "nature-inspired" pieces from a Pinterest board, I'm making portraits of things I've spent half my life staring at.
The metalsmithing came later. I took an evening intro class in 2015, fell in love with sawing and soldering, and taught myself from there. That, and through the generosity of metalsmiths who share what they know, and through years of honest trial and error. I started B.Forever.Wild in 2016 while living in Wyoming, and brought it home to Maine, where I'm rooted until the wind wisps me in another direction.
The majority of my work is solid sterling silver. Some stones are softer than others, so I may use fine silver when setting those stones (opals, amber, vesuvianite to name a few) and from time to time I add some brass, bronze or copper into my work to add extra dimension. I also will use gold or gold-fill on occasion. I use detailed descriptions for each piece so you know exactly what was used. My work uses high quality metals and stones. Nothing will ever be created using a “plated” metal…none of that here. If it's in the shop, it passed the only quality inspector on staff: me, squinting at it under a bright light, being pickier than any customer ever will be.
But who am I as a human?
I love big mountain skiing and sea kayaking. Also curling up with my dog and drinking lemon ginger tea.
I love birds. When I see them, I assume they know me, and I have conversations with them (fairly one-sided).
I somehow cannot keep a houseplant alive. I make silver ones instead — those I can't kill.
I have an obsession with fun socks (yes, I have a frequent-buyer account at the sock shack).
I'm the middle of three sisters, and it's the best. I'm also the shortest.
On occasion, I enjoy a gas station hot dog.
I firmly believe that making fairy homes as a child shaped who I am today.
I'm so glad you're here, and I'm honored to share this work with you. I hope you love wearing it as much as I love making it.
— Becca