Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, in partnership with Vermont Public
WINOOSKI — Alicia Starkweather is a recent college grad and a self-taught metalsmith. She’s been making jewelry since she was six years old, and now, she runs Starkweather Designs.
Anna Gilmore recently stopped by Starkweather’s Winooski studio to talk with her about life and art.
The Q&A below has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
Q. How did you start making jewelry?
A. So when I was six years old, I started making jewelry. I have always just loved making jewelry. It’s just been my my passion. I was homeschooled for a couple of years, and I used to do all my schoolwork in the morning, and then I’d go and sit in my room and listen to Harry Potter on tape and make jewelry.
Q. Do you have a favorite piece you’ve made?
A. Something that’s always been part of my process is not making the same piece twice. So when I was a kid, I would sell [jewlery] at, like, my local harvest festival. And it was, ‘This is one of a kind! You can’t get it again, only one!’ So it’s hard to pick a favorite piece, because I will tend to not make something twice.
Q. You travel quite a bit. How does that influence your work?
A. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to travel a lot. I’ve spent a ton of time in Puerto Rico, and I love to learn different languages and experience that culture. I think it’s really important to take that time and that space, if you can, to go and travel and see the world.
[Early on] when I would travel, I would collect stones or shells off of the beach to make myself pieces of jewelry from my travels, just as mementos. But now that [my business has grown], I will source material while I travel.
Q. How did you learn how to run your own business?
A. First of all, I don’t know what I’m doing. I like what I do. I really love being able to make jewelry and have my own schedule. And it’s really hard. It is so hard, and it’s not for everyone. It is not for the faint of heart. And it’s gonna take time. And it still is. Like, it’s slowly working, but it takes time.
Q. What’s your ultimate goal?
A. I think my my main goal in life is to be happy. I think that no matter what I’m doing, I want to feel alive. And, like, be content with who I am and the things that I’m doing in the world. And be a good person. I think that’s something that’s really important to me: being good.