For Sheena Marshall, designing jewelry is a form of storytelling. Her sustainable jewelry brand, Sheena Marshall Jewelry, champions the intricacies of metalsmithing and creates hand-crafted pieces that carry a story. Her slow and sustainable jewelry-making processes are performed in her Denver studio, where her timeless designs have gained notoriety in the fashion community.
“There is an indescribable calmness that comes from slowing down and working with my hands,” Marshall said. “For me, it’s a time to create space for slowness in a world of constant stimulation.”
Handcrafted With Intention
Marshall has always felt drawn to working with her hands. After the birth of her oldest daughter, she found it creatively stimulating and therapeutic to metalsmith during postpartum. Eventually, she showed her work at markets and became deeply inspired by and intertwined with other local makers and small businesses in Denver.
As a small business owner, Marshall takes on multiple responsibilities. Some days she goes into her studio to work at the bench all day, sawing and soldering materials. On other days she’s writing handwritten notes to each customer before shipping out packages.
Each of Marshall’s artfully handcrafted pieces is inspired by paintings, architecture and textiles that are minimalistic. She always keeps a sketchbook on hand in case she experiences a burst of creativity and develops a design idea.
“Some days I feel very inspired and spend all day in my studio. Other days my mind and body are telling me to rest,” Marshall said. “I find my best work occurs when I listen to these polarizing feelings from moment to moment.”
Slow and Sustainable
As Marshall embraces a slow and mindful creative process, she approaches her business’s ethics with the same intentionality. Sheena Marshall Jewelry is a slow fashion business that designs for longevity and advocates for sustainability. The brand believes customers deserve to know how the jewelry they’re buying was fabricated from ethical and sustainable practices, which is why its website is transparent about the process.
“Minimizing waste is a crucial part of creating a more sustainable world, and we try to do just that,” Marshall said.
Every step of the production process involves conscious decisions to be sustainable. All designs are made-to-order to ensure that materials don’t go to waste. Meanwhile, any leftover scraps are recycled to be used again or get sent to the metal refinery to be put back into the metal system. Stones and metals are also responsibly-sourced, and the stones are conflict-free. Once items are purchased, Marshall ships them to customers using environmentally-friendly packaging.
“I am constantly innovating and working with our suppliers to improve,” Marshall said about her commitment to running an ethically-minded brand.
Minimalist At Heart
Marshall’s goal has always been to design simple, functional and consciously-made jewelry because that’s what she wants to see more of. Aa a true minimalist, her jewelry has empowered other women to seek simple pleasures in life and make conscious choices about the jewelry they choose to wear.
“My favorite is when repeat customers stop by to say hello and tell me how they feel while wearing Sheena Marshall,” Marshall said.
The Moab Arch Earrings and Poppy Earrings have always reigned as a favorite among customers. As with the rest of her pieces, their appeal lies in their simplicity and subtlety. With an upcoming solid gold collection launching soon, Marshall will reveal more of her goldsmithing talent through delicate designs.
Though the collection will be launched on the Sheena Marshall Jewelry website, the products can be experienced in person at Horseshoe Holiday Market, Junior League Holiday Mart and other pop-ups that are to be announced.
“The opportunity to meet my customers and other makers makes me feel a great sense of connection to the community,” Marshall said. “It’s a special feeling being able to describe my designs and the thought process behind each piece.”