Crescent Maille–Solo Exhibit (With Giveaway!)

“When crafted to perfection, a silver chain maille bracelet is an amazing thing, mesmerizing as it bends and moves and molds itself to your wrist; it almost feels alive.” –Crescent Maille

Chain maille is most certainly not a new thing. No doubt an image springs to mind upon hearing the term: a medieval knight clad in heavy mesh armor that drapes along his body as he heads to battle. The earliest form of metal armor, likely dating even before the 5th century, chain maille is a distinct and unique art form that has a place in the contemporary world as much as it did in the world of castles and kings. As it turns out, the art form is as visually stunning as it was useful for protective purposes. Enter Crescent Maille and the world of chain maille jewelry.

Just as a knitter uses needles to guide yarn into intricate weaves and patterns, the artist behind CrescentMaille uses pliers to manipulate a series of metal rings into a bigger cohesive whole.

Among the distinctions that make Crescent Maille stand out from other chainmaillers is the quality of the materials she uses. These are not your ordinary jump rings from a two dollar bag at the craft store. Each of her pieces is carefully crafted using handmade sterling silver rings from the highest quality sources.

The knitting analogy seems a very apt one, since the final product of Crescent Maille’s work is often a piece that almost resembles fabric, with a drape unlike any other style of jewelry. Depending on the way the rings are placed and intertwined, the final products can be vastly different from one another. Some resemble very traditional medieval chain maille . . .

. . . while others take on the look of spirals or even lace.

In addition to chainmailling, the artist behind Crescent Maille runs a popular blog, MVSEVM, where she seeks out and highlights fine art and photography on Etsy. This curator definitely recommends adding MVSEVM to your list of daily reads.

My interview with Crescent Maille is among my favorites here at Etsy Stalker; I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Curator B: How did you first get interested in the art of chain maille?

By trade (and calling) I am a book designer—large, beautiful “coffee table” exhibition catalogues and artist monographs for museums and galleries. Also, I have always made “2-D” art in some form (drawing, painting, photography) since I was small. A few years ago I reached a point when I wanted to find an additional craft, something “3-D”, something away from the computer and pen. My requirements: that it be something I could teach myself, something affordable to start, and most importantly something self-contained that I could do anywhere.

I never had the remotest interest in making jewelry, but around that time I stumbled upon some photos of chain maille on the internet. So amazing. It seemed obscure, a craft I thought only historical (and just about armor). I did a lot of online research and found contemporary jewelry and a thriving community. I located two small companies (run by just one or two people) selling supplies as well as kits and tutorials. I bought my first kit, opened it like the best Christmas gift ever, and was immediately hooked.

Curator B: What is it about chain maille that really speaks to you?

Chain maille speaks to me on aesthetic and intellectual levels. As a book designer, I started by learning the fundamentals—the theories of fine typography and “good design.” I studied these principles, some history, traditions. Once I was thoroughly practiced in these fundamentals I felt I could take what I knew and truly develop my own style and voice—unique and recognizable, yet always grounded in the essence of the discipline. This a good analogy for how I feel about chain maille. It’s saturated with history and tradition. There are basic weaves upon which others are built, and even more weaves built upon those. I wanted to learn weaves carefully, one at a time, and learn the relationships between them; I wanted to learn the mechanics of weaving as meticulously as I could. With study and practice, I could start with that foundation to feel confident in my crafting, and to create my own designs. And there’s always more to learn.

It speaks to me on very basic levels. The materials—until you have worked with silver, you can’t imagine how pliable and soft it is, with a mind of its own that needs coaxing and cajoling. The technique—using just pliers and making one or two motions again and again and again is meditative and calming. And the simplicity—with just silver rings and two pairs of pliers, you can make something delicate and intricate, strong and beautiful.

Curator B: Do you have a favorite piece in your shop right now? What makes it a favorite?

I think the coolest piece in my shop right now is a Byzantine Weave Bracelet made from square-wire rings. One of the most basic and traditional weaves comes out modern and even industrial. I appreciate the look of the Wave Lace pattern that I designed but it’s so labor-intensive, I’m not always crazy about making it. I think my favorite pieces are those that are my favorite to weave—right now that would be, for the meditative aspect, the Snake Weave Bracelet (also called Roundmaille) and the Turkish Round; both are based on the most basic of weaves, and the one used predominantly for armor, the European 4-in-1.

Curator B: How long have you been selling on Etsy? What surprises or challenges have you encountered since setting up shop there?

I opened my first Etsy store in June 2005, and had several shops in succession where I sold drawings, photographs, plush toys. However I was really focused on sales and that detracted from the enjoyment—too much stress. Etsy was very different, and far smaller, in the first couple of years, but that’s how I learned my way around. I’m glad to have learned the ropes then, rather than trying to learn them now when it has grown so much and consequently become (sometimes) a less personal experience.

It wasn’t until I opened Crescent Maille (two years ago this month) and was so completely dedicated to the crafting of the jewelry that I really felt I found how I wanted to work. Rather than focusing on the number of sales I focused on the quality of the transactions. Having really happy customers who felt attended to, and felt they had received something unique, crafted with real attention and care, eventually led to more sales. I don’t think there were too many sellers of chain maille when I started, so Crescent Maille was in a unique niche. I still don’t sell a high volume of jewelry, but I make everything to order and absolutely love doing so.

Curator B: You have other shops on Etsy, too. I am always amazed by artists with multiple talents/specialties. How do your various mediums inform each other? Are you more drawn to one than another?

I started Cloudery after Crescent Maille. About a year ago my drawing style changed dramatically. I think that my drawings became very much influenced by my chain maille work: suddenly I am drawing with tiny-tipped pens (fractions of a millimeter) in the same way that I prefer to use the smallest possible rings. But I am drawing intricate, organic, abstract shapes that flow in a stream-of-consciousness way—it’s almost like “mailling” on paper except I create the beginnings of patterns and then break from them, free-form—so, totally unlike chain maille. I guess in my artwork I get to exert my freedom to digress, change course, or just meander; that doesn’t happen with the jewelry.

I also wanted Cloudery to be an opportunity for me to “give back” in appreciation for my success with Crescent Maille. From the start, I’ve made a donation to First Book with every sale from Cloudery. First Book is a nonprofit organization that focuses on increasing child literacy by providing children from low-income families with their own brand-new books. I chose the organization as my sole focus because of how important reading was to me as a child, and is to me now. So, every time someone makes a purchase, at least two books are donated. To date I’ve been able to donate 124 books.

My third shop is brand new: Serif Design. I decided I wanted to use my graphic design experience to create Etsy identities & branding (custom banners and avatars, and other graphics). There are a number of shops that sell either pre-made banner and avatar sets or custom ones, but as I studied the market, I felt that much of the design is of a similar vein, and while some of it is lovely, I feel there’s a gap for my style of design. Concentrating on excellent typography, and perhaps a more classic look, I hope to attract the customers who are not as interested in the more prevalent styles—super-bright colors, flashy fonts, motifs popular in the immediate moment but perhaps not as enduring.

Both Crescent Maille and Serif Design are “on demand” shops, so they’re somewhat more difficult if I’m not feeling particularly creative when I receive an order. But all three shops keep me creative and imaginative. I particularly like being able to give back with the donations to First Book.

Curator B: Do you have any advice for aspiring Etsians?

As I found with Crescent Maille, love making what you sell *before* you sell it. Engage with your customers or clients, even just slightly. Help keep Etsy a place where one person is buying from another person, not an anonymous storefront. Find creative ways to promote your shop—especially if it is in a format that you really find fulfilling, like a blog (insert plug for MVSEVM here!). If your shop stops being something you enjoy for longer than a few days, maybe it’s time to rethink it. A few days here and there is utterly normal, but it’s no good to have to run a shop you don’t love.

In keeping with her business style and generous spirit, the artist behind Crescent Maille has offered two separate giveaways for readers of Etsy Stalker. First prize: a choice between either the Mobius-7 necklace or the Mobius Charm necklace (both pictured below). 2nd prize: a $30 gift certificate to her shop. To enter, click on over to Crescent Maille and enjoy a leisurely online browse. Then return here to leave a comment about what you would apply your gift certificate towards if you were lucky enough to win. It’s that easy! Winners will be chosen on Sunday, July 19th.  Good luck!

*Note: this giveaway is open to Stalkers in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia.

Mobius 7 Necklace

Mobius Charm Necklace