I’ve always admired jewelry designers for their ability to take something as tough and harsh as metal and turn it into something delicate and refined. To see a hunk of sterling silver and somehow imagine an entire collection must take a special source of creativity that I was not blessed with. Today’s Designer Dish, Debra M. Kirkland, is one such creative spirit. She graduated from Texas State University in the Fall of 2011, earning a BFA as a Studio Art major. Kirkland then earned her Jewelry Certificate from Austin Community College in the Summer of 2015. She previously worked in Austin, TX as a member of production at Ornamental Things before moving back to San Antonio, TX. She recently launched her newest jewelry collection, titled City Warrior, and sat down to talk with Haute in Texas about her inspirations!
Haute in Texas: Hi Debra! Thanks for chatting with us today. First off, name one jewelry designer that’s inspiring you right now?
Debra Kirkland: There are so many great jewelry designers and jewelry makers out there. I mostly take my inspiration from the world around me, but the designs of Annelise Michelson really resonate with me. They are very sculptural. Some pieces have angles that look dangerous and edgy, some have flowy, organic shapes, some look like fabric. Her pieces don’t look like traditional jewelry as I know it.
HIT: What’s one jewelry technique or style you’d love to learn in the future?
DK: I would love to learn more lost wax casting techniques. I want to do more sculptural work in the future, so I think it would be best for me to learn more on the subject.
HIT: What’s your work environment like? What do you need to get “in the zone” creatively?
DK: I work from home, and I have my own space within our house. I designated different areas for different types of work. I have a work bench, a soldering station, a planning or drawing table, a space for taking pictures, and a closet for supplies. I love having a space at home. I can work whenever inspiration hits. There are so many tools and little pieces involved in jewelry work so I try to stay as organized as possible, but sometimes my space gets chaotic.
I love what I do so all I really need to do to get in the zone is to get started. I try not to let anything stop me so if I run into a problem I work through it and that helps me stay in the zone for hours until I realize I am hungry, or need to stand up and stretch. I also clean up before I start a new piece because it helps my work go more smoothly when everything is where it should be at the start. I like to listen to music with a good dance beat.
HIT: Who has been the biggest influence in encouraging you to pursue this passion? Have you had any naysayers that drive you to prove them wrong?
DK: My husband is one of my biggest fans and has encouraged me to do the work that makes me happy. My family and friends have also encouraged me in so many ways that I can’t even put into words how grateful I am. I really feel like people are looking out for me and want me to succeed. I am so blessed!
I don’t have any naysayers right now, and if I ever had any it has been a while since I have seen them. Some people have been very critical of my work in the past. It was helpful to a point, but ultimately I knew what I wanted. My work didn’t always appeal to the people I was around, but I eventually found an audience that loved my work. I did my best to stay true to myself and my own vision. Maybe I have proven them wrong, but that isn’t my goal.
HIT: Where do you see the brand in five years? Ten?
DK: At five years I would love to have a physical store. Right now I mainly sell jewelry online. I have sold jewelry at a couple of venues out in San Antonio, but having a store would be more ideal for me. I would love to have people just know my brand. There is so much jewelry out there from so many great artists that to have people know my brand would be pretty amazing.
In ten years I would love to have a store that runs very smoothly without me being there. I would also want to spend time having D. M. Kirkland give back to the community at that point.
HIT: Why sterling silver? What is it about the material that you love?
DK: I have worked with sterling silver, fine silver, copper, and nickel. Most recently when I received my jewelry certificate, I learned techniques using mostly sterling silver. I really preferred working with sterling silver. The more I learned, the more I discovered that it can be such a versatile metal. It can look bright, shiny, and luxurious. A patina can be applied to make a new piece look like an old, interesting, antique piece.
HIT: For this newest collection, where did you draw your inspiration from?
DK: Initially I drew my inspiration from summertime, and the sun. I thought of the drawings that everyone makes as a kid, with the sun being a circle and the sunlight being lines. I played with that idea and exaggerated the sun rays into these triangle, and dagger like shapes. It is definitely not a new idea to use the sun as inspiration. Ancient civilizations depicted the sun in this way or similar ways. I also drew my inspiration from this history, but I wanted to edit these ideas and arrange them so that the modern woman of today could see herself wearing them.
HIT: Finally, an Haute in Texas tradition, pancakes or waffles?
DK: If I can get away with it, French toast. If I can’t get away with it, waffles.
If you’re eyeing her newest pieces like I am, you’re in luck! Debra is offering one lucky Haute in Texas reader a pair of her Turquoise on Triangle studs, pictured above and valued at $100! Just fill out the Rafflecopter below, and good luck! And many thanks to Debra for taking the time to share with us, I love your sentiment about perhaps naysayers wrong, but that’s not even your goal. What a peaceful and positive way to look at the world! Great things are on the horizon for you, my dear, can’t wait to see how far this new collection takes you!
A
P.S. I received compensation in exchange for this post. Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own!
