LM White Jewelry
LM White is a jewelry line designed and handcrafted by Lindsey White in Brooklyn.
“I’m interested in the innate need to express oneself through adornment, and how it can either deflect or show off our inner weather systems of mood.”
Josette asked Lindsey a few questions
How did you get started?
I got started in jewelry and metalworking in 2013. I was living here in Brooklyn and had just finished an apprenticeship with a milliner, before that I was working as a seamstress. I knew that I liked working with hats and textiles, but it wasn’t speaking to me the way a starving artist’s love for their craft should. So I began to look around at other industries while making ends meet bartending and modeling. Soon after, my Dad and I got together for a few welding lessons. Once I learned the basics of metalworking there was no question about it, the possibilities seemed endless and forever inspiring to me.
I began teaching myself the basics of fabrication and working with techniques that most jewelers don’t ordinarily use. My workbench looks more like a furniture maker’s bench, using an approach of sculpting big metal pieces, when in fact they are small enough to wear on your finger. I love creating with an alternative approach and breaking rules that I never knew existed. I’m always pleasantly surprised by the outcome. My work style is different than most and I pride myself in building most pieces by hand, not casting every item. I have some collections that are solely made-to-order and slight variations are seen as coveted moments in time that can’t be replicated.
What inspires you?
When I first started, I was scanning estate sales, junk stores, and hardware stores to find tough old things to make into something wearable. Artists who take an ordinary object and use it in a fresh new way, especially if it’s physically reusing excess material, is really inspiring to me. Going beyond recycling and repurposing, it’s a true art to make people think twice about what they ordinarily just look past and never really see.
Which items are a good introduction to your style?
The shackle ring and the nail punch pendant were one of my first designs. Still best sellers too.
.Have your priorities changed?
I believe they have in that you can never fully prepare for a creative endeavor. I have to pull from all experiences along the way to foster an effective road map for my business. Jewelry wasn’t my major in college, nor was small business, so there’s been a lot of lessons I’ve learned the hard way.
What scares you?
I was told by someone very recently that talking about your fears only gives them more weight in life. Whether that’s true or not, I do try to be mindful of what really motivates me, and to always keep out the negative that can circulate in everyday thought. Jewelry is a competitive industry and you can easily become your own worst critic if you take everything in at face value. I’m realizing the true battle is internal, to overcome unnecessary fears and stay focused on what really matters, like being satisfied in my own work and making sure I’m creating something I believe in.
“I’ve always been interested in building and creating with my hands. I wasn’t sure how I could
take that love of craftsmanship and have it make me a living, but I’ve spent my entire 20s trying
to figure that out.”
How do you deal with judgement and criticism?
I think life’s too short to get caught up in the judgement coming from others. I keep a big picture mentality when dealing with other people’s opinions and I actively try not to judge myself. It’s easier said than done, but it can be a rabbit hole too many designers fall down. What’s most important is to just listen to those giving corrective criticism as a means to achieving the same goal as you. If I’m told something isn’t working properly or not feeling just right, then I’m all ears to hear how we can make a product perform better.
Who will you thank when you receive an award?
It’s hard to choose from all those who’ve been so supportive, but my Dad is the one who opened up the door to metalwork and design engineering. Teaching me how to weld is just one of many tangible lessons I’ve learned from him. I’d like to think he also passed down his patience and obedience to measure twice, cut once!