Meet Mary Elizabeth Long

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Elizabeth Long.

Hi Mary Elizabeth, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For over 30 years, I was a makeup artist to the stars. I specialized in makeup, hair and wardrobe styling for some of the top photographers in Nashville. I later became a fashion and music photographer, just a natural progression and also one of my many childhood dreams.

Several years ago, my precious father, who suffered from dementia, came to live with us. I quickly realized that he needed 24/7 supervision, so I gave up my photography career to spend quality time with my dad, but I still needed a creative outlet. I picked up some aluminum wire and started creating! I had made jewelry on and off through my life, but this time I was obsessed! I would create all kinds of jewelry, incorporating leather, crystals, beads, and stones. I seriously wouldn’t stop until my hands were physically worn out.

I started selling my pieces online and locally. Soon after, I got a rep in Atlanta who sold to customers all over the country. It’s neat to be on vacation and see my jewelry in a really cool shop. Now, most of my customers are by word of mouth and a lot of musicians collect my work. It’s interesting. I have more guy clients than women clients.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, nothing is a smooth ride… not for me anyway. Haha! At first, when I started working with metal clay, I successfully fired several batches of jewelry and was really excited! Then, I burned up two batches of jewelry in my kiln. It was very upsetting to work for weeks on those pieces only to have them, literally, go up in smoke! I quit… for about two years. Then I gave it another try. It turned out there was something wrong with my kiln. I learned so much from that failure, but two things I learned was to never give up and to understand that not everything is my fault! I’m really glad I stuck with it. I love my creations. As a matter of fact, it’s difficult to part with my pieces. I wish I didn’t get so attached, but I’m getting better at letting go, especially when I see other people ROCKIN’ my jewelry.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I started collecting antique brass jewelry dies and woodblocks from India, some dating back to the 1800s. I was introduced to a fairly new medium called metal clay. It was the perfect combination to create some very unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. I am now making my own metal clay that I use to re-create the traditional Indian designs. There are many steps in the process, and each is interesting. Once the clay pieces are dry and ready, they are fired in a kiln at a very high temperature which burns off the binder and leaves you with a solid piece of metal. I mainly work with bronze and white copper… some silver. It’s really gratifying for me to bring these old works of art to life. I always want to honor the artists who hand-engraved these designs all those years ago. I don’t want the pieces that I create to look new. I want them to look old, like they have been around for a hundred years.

I think my attention to detail and having been a makeup artist has made me a better jeweler. I am somewhat of a perfectionist, but I’m learning that it is imperfections that make things much more interesting and unique.

Any big plans?
I’m really looking forward to filming an upcoming feature for Tennessee Crossroads. I love it that folks seem to be interested in what I do because I love to talk about it and share my story and work with others. I also have a couple of shops that are interested in carrying my collection, so it’s a very exciting time for me. My creativity comes in waves. That’s why I have to strike when the iron is hot… that’s also why I don’t do custom orders.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nashvegashippie.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nashvegashippie/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nashvegashippie/

Image Credits
Sheri ONeal photography Mary Elizabeth Long