Heather Beck, a fine jewelry maker and owner of Heather Beck Designs, has been awarded a matching grant from the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, to help realize her goal of bringing her jewelry casting operations in-house.
The MGCC grant will match, two for one, any contributions that Ms. Beck receives from her Crowdfunding campaign. To date, she has raised over $5000. Funds raised will go toward the new casting setup, as well as the electrical and ventilation needed to bring the casting process in-house.
For the past 10 years, the studio has specialized in fine, custom jewelry for many occasions. While some of her creations are hand-fabricated in house, many more need to be outsourced for casting.
Her goal is to use the matching grant funds to purchase casting equipment and bring that portion of the process entirely in house.”
Heather’s main focus in bringing casting in-house is to further expand her work in Legacy Jewelry. This is the process of transforming the family heirloom pieces of her clients; she removes the stones and melts down their gold and silver to create new pieces that carry the memory of her client’s loved ones. With the new casting equipment, she will be able to transform their raw materials in-house. She said that this work is sacred to her and that she is honored to be a part of her client’s story.
The new casting equipment will also expand her teaching offerings including couples wedding band workshops, where they create their own rings in wax and transform them into precious metal over the course of a weekend. Her love of teaching private lessons to new students in the community, is equal with the creation of custom work.
Working in this field is a true labor of love for Heather, who traces her interest in metalsmithing to her undergraduate days at U. Mass Dartmouth.
She adds, “I love the stories behind every custom piece that we design. We work closely with each client to design an object that represents their unique truth. Sometimes it’s a story of love, sometimes it’s a story of achievement, sometimes it’s about needing a talisman that can guide you through a storm. Whatever story brings someone to my studio, I feel honored to hear it and be a part of manifesting the next chapter.”
Heather Beck Designs studio work ranges from hand hammered textured collections to custom engagement rings, wedding bands, and power objects.
She continued, “We are extremely grateful to the MGCC for this matching grant opportunity. It will allow for better turnaround times and greater control of the creative process. It’s a great chance for us to expand what we can offer.” Anyone wishing to learn more about the grant or to assist in the Crowdfunding can do so by clicking on this link
She also shares her knowledge with students, offering “beginner” to “advanced” metal classes in the studio. She travels around the state holding metal workshops at libraries and at Scouting groups to teenagers and adults alike. The studio is located at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite 047, Easthampton, MA 01027. For additional information, email info@heatherbeckdesigns.com.
