Hi! My name is Erin Kirk and I am the maker behind Soul Shine Metal Works. This little business began with me sitting at my dining table with a pastry torch and cheap saw frame creating what I could in the few moments after work between making dinner and bath time, and has since morphed into a thriving side business that truly makes my soul shine.
I first began my infatuation with metal as a sophomore at Ossining High School in NY when I took the Jewelry I Art elective with my all-time favorite teacher, Mrs. DeMartin. From the moment I finished my first simple band ring, I was hooked and took every other Jewelry class Mrs. D offered. I then went on to become her "assistant" during her Jewelry I and Jewelry II class so I could keep working even after completing all the available classes. While enrolled in Tyler School of Art in PA, I learned all about cold connections, enameling, casting, prong setting, and more before changing my major from Jewelry to Art Education. I transferred to the University of Vermont where I managed to squeeze in a few jewelry classes between my Art Education classes and student teaching. Since graduating in 2007, I put all my focus and energy into my teaching career and starting my family and my love of Jewelry took a backseat.
When my daughter turned three, I realized that it was time for me to start re-investing in myself personally and creatively and, with the support and encouragement from my husband, I bought some tools, ordered some silver, and set myself up in the dining room to start re-learning the craft that I love. I have since moved into a studio space in my backyard and spend most weekends fully engrossed in my craft while still working full time as an elementary Art Teacher during the week. I have never been more busy but I have also never felt more complete.
Thank you so much for stopping by! You are not just supporting a business, you are supporting a passion.