Handmade Art Shines at MU Sale

Millersville University's Jewelry and Metal Arts Guild will host its fall sale from Nov. 18 through Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Breidenstine Hall lobby. The event will feature handcrafted jewelry and metalwork pieces created by student artists from the University's jewelry and metal arts club. The sale gives students an opportunity to showcase their creativity and practice real-world marketing skills.

Jewelry and metals professor Becky McDonah, the club's faculty advisor, says the event allows students to apply their technical abilities beyond the classroom while also engaging with their community. The funds raised will allow the club to bring artists to campus for workshops and lectures and provide financial aid to students attending national conferences.

McDonah says the experience helps students think critically about the value of their work both artistically and monetarily. "They make decisions on how to present their work and themselves professionally and get feedback from outside voices in the form of questions, comments and sales," she said. She adds that observing what attracts buyers gives students useful insight they can apply to refine future designs and pricing.

Jewelry and Metal Arts Guild president Paige Blair says this semester's sale will include a large variety of handmade pieces. "The majority of the work we normally sell at our semesterly sales consists of other handmade pieces that are normally made with materials like metal, wire and beads," Blair says. "We also sell pins that have been created through a process called lost wax casting, where a piece will be carved in wax and then cast into bronze and sometimes silver."

Over the years, the sale has built a steady following of returning visitors from across campus and the community. Blair says the event has found a consistent home in the Breidenstine Hall lobby, creating a familiar and inviting space for shoppers each semester. "We've accumulated more returning staff, students and community members that come and visit us each semester," she says. The guild has also expanded its variety of work as new members bring their own creative styles and techniques to the table.

Blair says about one dozen students typically participate each semester, collectively selling more than 100 pieces. The group includes both metalsmiths and crafters with creations ranging from more traditional metalwork to bead-based designs. "A lot of us pull inspiration from our actual work," Blair says. "We end up with a lot of scrap pieces of metal so it's a great way to repurpose it into jewelry for the sale, too." For student artists, the sale is as much about exposure as it is about their craftsmanship. "It makes us feel so much more supported by the community, and we're able to build relationships with those who support our work," Blair says. "It's a great way to build people skills. Being a part of the sale is also a chance for us to learn how to market ourselves as artists."

Blair hopes that visitors leave with an appreciation for the effort going into each piece. "We put a lot of ourselves into our work, and I think it makes it so much more meaningful as the wearer to know someone's time was spent crafting these pieces," she says. "The originality of handmade work is something special." Whether visitors are shopping for a special gift or exploring the creativity of Millersville's art community, the Jewelry and Metals Guild sale offers a look into the craftsmanship and passion of its student artists.