Meet Sam Woehrmann

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sam Woehrmann. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sam, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Being a self employed artist that works alone in my studio has its challenges, but I think for me, realizing I am most productive earlier in the day helped me schedule my time to utilize those hours most effectively. Making jewelry can be taxing on your body especially your hands and your eyes. I like to work while I feel refreshed. I find productivity and inspiration are best for me then. Being self sufficient and successful in my career probably stems from my younger life when I decided I would rather excel in individual sports rather than not being good at team sports and letting other people down.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

The jewelry I make is all hand fabricated, meaning it is constructed by manipulating wire or sheets of gold and silver into structural pieces. It’s like building on a tiny scale. I use mostly natural gemstones to create my work. I find color combinations by using different types of gemstones to either accentuate or contrast each other. I also use a lot of geometric shaped gems to build pieces giving my work an often Art Deco inspired look. Making these type of settings for the gems has its own skills and difficulties, but I do like to challenge myself. Mastering this process has lead me into teaching workshops on this specific style, which is another aspect to my business that takes me out of my day to day studio practice that I enjoy doing.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I did begin by working for other designers making their work. If that is applicable to your field it is a great way to learn skills or a craft, to gain confidence and efficiency all while being paid to do so. I was able to learn the inner workings of an artists business and how I wanted to structure that for myself. I would also say knowing your strengths and weaknesses is important. I gladly outsource what I am either not as confident in or have the time to perfect. As a one person show it is just not realistic for me to take the time to lets say do all my own photography. I will happily pay someone to do that work for me.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

Both my parents were incredibly supportive in the path I choose and I am very thankful for that. I choose to attend schools specific to my trade instead of going the university route. They instilled a strong work ethic in me and taught me to appreciate what I work hard to build. My mother also nurtured my curiosity and love for gems and crystals leading me into what I do today. She instilled a sense of style in both jewelry and fashion that nurtured my direction as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iamthatsam.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samwoehrmann