Today we’d like to introduce you to Wesley Bowers.
Wesley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From a young age, I have always been drawing, building, crafting, and designing things. I remember when I was younger – about the seventh grade – I would design pendants, rings, bracers, and other jewelry to coincide with a fantasy story that I was writing. Fast forward several years to after graduating high school, I ended up in Mesa, Arizona, and studied fashion design. Another few years pass and relocating back to Utah, then to Nashville, Tennessee, I felt compelled to start making amulets after going to the Oregon coast during my husband’s and my wedding trip. I would use driftwood, sea glass, abalone shell, and other components that I found and repurposed by binding them together with copper wire.
Not even six months later, we ended up moving to the Portland area and connected with some great folks in the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. I befriended a wonderful and kind guy who after seeing my Bound Energies amulets gave me most of his jewelry-making supplies. I subsequently began to make some wire-bound pendants with some of the newly acquired supplies. I also taught myself how to make beaded necklaces and bracelets by watching some online tutorials.
After living in Portland for three years, my husband and I made the decision to move to the Verde Valley in Arizona just as Covid closed the globe down. It ended up being a blessing in disguise because we were no longer in a large epicenter and lived in the Village of Oak Creek area of Sedona. I took a few months off from working on the front lines and focused on more art and jewelry.
My art was starting to take off in 2022 and I also found out that the local college offered jewelry classes, so I took the first one in the fall semester and learned to manipulate metals and build jewelry with various techniques. Being very ambitious, as I often am, my final project was to make a small collection of three pieces. My collection consisted of a large necklace, bracelet, and pair of earrings. My inspiration for them was the ocean, and more specifically the coral reef. I felt compelled to continue with the coral theme, turning it into my upcoming collection, Alloy Reef. The design has become a signature of mine.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I could say that it was a smooth road, but that is almost always not the case. Many times, I can be my own worse enemy. I will get in my head wondering if anyone will like what I create and I have to remind myself to create for myself and if other people seem to follow the same wavelength, then even better.
I’ve had my fair share of “No’s” but I always shake it off and keep going. I have had the good fortune to have people who have been there to help me and support me when I doubt myself. They’ve been there to encourage me to push through and challenge myself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In recent years, I have been focusing on art and jewelry. Last year, I had my first art show in over a decade and pushed myself into more visual art and jewelry-making disciplines. I specialize in copper overlay and cutouts. My style tends to be organic and elegant. I’ve been known for my organic wire wrapping, vibrant colors, and bead sequences.
I’m becoming known for my hammer textures, rivets, cutouts, and overlay. I am most proud of my Alloy Reef collection. I have so many more designs that I want to bring into it and it is flourishing. My ultimate goal is to then give a portion of the proceeds from the Alloy Reef pieces to go to save the reefs. Everyone that has seen my reef-inspired overlay and cutout pieces says that they have not seen anything like it.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice would be to find a class that speaks to you. Connect with your teacher.
Ask questions. I am still navigating networking being an introvert at heart. I have to constantly get out of my shell to connect with other like-minded individuals. I’ve found more connections by going to art shows, craft shows, and other events that share similar interests.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wesleybowers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesleybowerscreative
- Facebook: https://fb.com/wesleybowerscreative
Image Credits
Wesley Ethyn Bowers
