In the studio with Brazen Design

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Rachel Dhawan, founder and designer of Brazen Design. I had had a really tough day and was quite frazzled by the time I arrived at her apartment/studio in Little Italy. I was greeted by a big smile, tea and cookies. We sat down and talked about small businesses, high school, the Montreal arts and crafts scene and it wasn't long before I had completely forgotten about my day and I was smiling too. Rachel's enthusiasm and passion for what she does is truly contagious. It's also very evident in her work.

Rachel and I actually met last year when I visited a craft fair she was putting on along with other Montreal-based artists and designers. Her nature-inspired jewelery was displayed on these amazing wood stands and I couldn't stop admiring them. They're both delicate and bold at the same; wearing her work definitely makes a statement.

I knew that her work was inspired by nature but I didn't realize that every branch or pine cone pendant was created using an object she hand picked in some park or on a sidewalk. In fact, Rachel explained to me that she has "her trees" in various Montreal parks and she knows that they will give her the right-sized cones at specific times of the year. Off she goes with a large basket in hand to select the few pine cones that will be transformed into detailed sterling silver pendants or earrings. She is also known to "stalk" certain trees in her neighbourhood before they start to bloom so that she can select a perfect blossom and immortalize it in sterling silver! She had bowls filled with perfect little leaves, twigs, acorns and pine cones in her studio, everyone of them selected by Rachel's keen eye.

Rachel's studio is in her small 2 bedroom apartment. She and her partner, a cabinet maker, took over both bedrooms and transformed them into Brazen Design HQ. One bedroom is the office while the other is a 9 feet x 9 feet wide studio space equipped to the nines with most of what Rachel needs to make her incredible creations - very large power tools, sand paper, wire, saws, wax, and soooo much more. She obviously has to outsource some of the final steps - few landlords agree with tenants using torch flames on the premises - but I was amazed by how much she could accomplish in such a small space. Besides making nature inspired jewelry, Rachel also does custom work and other "bling". Feel free to get in touch if you would like a custom creation and please stop by her Etsy shop for more examples of her work!

A HUGE thanks to Rachel for the lovely visit and the delicious cookies!