Stone Cooper

As you've all seen, I've been absolutely blessed to work with Katherine Sliclen of Stone Cooper these past few months. We met through a mutual friend who I haven't seen in years and it has been an amazing budding friendship. I want to scream at the top of a mountain about all of her amazing jewelry. All of it is so unique and beautiful, like nothing i've ever seen before but all things I wish I would wear ever single day. After shooting a blog piece and after Kat was kind enough to create a custom head chain for me for my adventures at Governors Ball I decided I need to get more of her out to you guys, because you won't be disappointed. Stone Cooper will easily become your new favorite jewelry store. 

Kat is wearing all pieces she designed that can be found on Stonecooper.com

Let's begin by talking about your brand. How did the name Stone Cooper come about?

The name Stone Cooper comes from my name, Katherine Cooper Sliclen, Cooper being my Mom’s last name, and Sliclen coming from the word Schlichthernlein, meaning “Stone-Cutter” in German. My parents’ have always supported my creative endeavors and passion for art, so the name is somewhat in homage to them, and where I come from/who I am.

What inspired you to begin creating jewelry?

I’ve loved jewelry- both making it and wearing it - for as long as I can remember. As a toddler, I called jewels “Pretties” and decked myself out in as many as I could, (my feminist mother questioning where I’d came from). The first time I sold my jewelry was when I was in the 4^th grade when I set up a table of beaded memory-wire chokers at a holiday craft fair at my elementary school. At age 15, I applied to work in a local bead store and worked there, teaching classes and helping others make jewelry all throughout high school and during college breaks. During College, at Skidmore, I took metals classes all 4 years and interned in NYC’s diamond district the summer before my senior year. People have always told me that I should sell my pieces, and upon graduating and realizing that my dream was a possibility, I thought, “why not give it a shot?” so I filed to become a small business and have just been working (and doing a lot of learning) ever since.

Your pieces are so unique, how did the idea to make casts of these amazing pieces come about?

Thanks! Haha a lot of them actually came about almost accidentally. The first time I took a casting class at Skidmore I was only able to make 3 pieces… (one being a required hideous “brooch”) and so when I was able to take it again senior year, I vowed to spend as much time as I could in the studio and to use up all the silver I had collected in the prior years.  So in the last few weeks of my senior year I had all these left-over sterling spoons and broken earrings… all ready to be melted down, so I had the opportunity to play around. I tried casting the little rubber animals (the polar bear was my first) and other small, found objects. I love(d) the way metal looks when it takes the shape of something else –so detailed and unexpected. This is what gave me the ideas for some of my pieces such as the cast matchsticks, jawbones and candles.

Which is your favorite piece?

I’d have to say my favorite piece is my wishbone necklace. It is delicate and polished, yet natural and raw – you can see the tiny fibers in the bone! Also, I love that it the original came from a Rotisserie-Chicken wishbone from Price-chopper.

Do you have any fun things coming up?

 Starting in the next few weeks, a really sweet boutique in Doylestown PA will be carrying Stone Cooper, and we’ll have a whole case of jewels right next to the register there, so I’m looking forward to that. Then in the Fall I have some upcoming shows, including Hoboken NJ’s Fall Arts and Music Fest which I’m excited for.

Tell me a random fact about yourself

I find more 4-leaf clovers than anyone I’ve ever met. A lot of times I’m not even looking but I’ll happen to glance down and see one. I think I’ve found over 50 this year since Spring began.