Meet Laura Masterson | Jewelry Designer & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Masterson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve never been a risk taker. I’ve never been the kind of person with the “need for speed” or the need to get my blood pumping. I’ve always stood in the shadows, kept a low profile, sat in the back of the room type of person. That was until I lost someone very dear to me in early 2019. I’ve lost A LOT of very important people in my life, but this one had an impact I can’t quite describe. It lit a fire in me. It changed me. It made me reevaluate my entire perspective on life and what I was doing with mine. How much was left of it, and what I was going to do with it.
I’d been in the dental field for 20 years at that point, and by that time I had had enough. While it had provided financial stability for most of my life, and had educated me beyond what I thought I was ever capable of, I was ready. Yet I stayed, because I was scared of taking the risk of leaving that comfortable place of stability. When tragedy struck in January 2019, I left the dental field and began a grief journey that led me into the arms of art. I found comfort there, spending countless hours teaching myself how to make anything that caught my eye, and eventually, I found my niche. More importantly, I’d found a way to project my grief, and turn it into something beautiful, intentional, productive, and purposeful. What had started out as therapy, turned into a passion, which then blossomed into a business and in 2020 Sole by La was born.
I had never owned a business before and knew absolutely nothing about starting one, running one or keeping one alive. I knew I could do it though. I had to. I risked it all, and put all of my efforts into making this idea a reality. All the important people I had lost in my life had never made it past their 20’s. They were barely given a chance to live life. Here I was in my 40’s with every opportunity at my fingertips, with my whole life ahead of me. I was going to make sure their deaths weren’t in vain. I would honor them by taking the risks I was terrified to take by appreciating having the opportunity to take those risks, and by taking the chance to do the things they would never have the chance to experience. I’d live my life to the fullest and risk it all because they couldn’t, and I’d put my heart and soul into it every step of the way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
“Sole” means: lone, only, solitary, single. The idea behind Sole by La is that you’re getting a truly unique, one of a kind piece. I try very hard to set myself apart from other artists by coming up with a design and not repeating it. Although, I do sometimes if I have the materials. I scour thrift stores, Estate Sales, garage sales for hidden gems that the sellers often don’t know they have. I have the items appraised, and then I use them in my collection. Most often, they’re one of a kind, antique or vintage stones or findings you can’t find nowadays. I love that I’m able to give these artifacts new life instead of them “dying” at the thrift store or being thrown away. They’re given a second chance to be loved and appreciated once again.
I also do custom work and adjustments on site at markets which guests LOVE. Sometimes I’ll have pieces in gold but they want it in silver or they want a different stone or they want a chain longer or shorter. I give them the opportunity to customize their jewelry right there on the spot or I’ll make them what they want while they walk around and visit other vendors. It’s an added bonus to their experience with Sole by La and I’m pleased to offer it to them.
Getting to where I am today took a lot of trial and error, but with the help of the art community and support of my husband, Sole by La has really made an impact. Giving up was just never an option.
One of the things I’m most proud of is my outspoken support of other artists. I like to use my platform as a recognized artist in the community to feature other artists that are starting out, unsure of where to start or otherwise just timid about showing their work or talent to the public. I choose to use myself as a stepping stone for them to grow into their own. I do not gain anything from featuring these artists other than knowing that I’m helping them attain much needed exposure, and the courage to put themselves out there in the market/vendor world. I want to create a footprint that shows our industry that it’s ok to help others, it’s ok to feature other artists, that it’s not competition, but about supporting each other and respecting each other as people as well as artists. I want to see us ALL win.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Gosh, I dunno…..

Food: Denver Central Market, Stoic & Genuine

Drink: Avanti, Velvet Elk Lounge

Visit: Red Rocks for sure, and in the fall Kenosha Pass for the changing of the leaves-it’s magical! Glenwood Springs is always a beauty too.

Hang Out: I absolutely LOVE Golden, such a cute town with great food and shops. Denver Botanic Gardens is amazing any time of year.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, my husband Matthew Masterson. He’s been my biggest supporter since day one. Even when I wanted to give up, and thought I was crazy starting my own business, he was there to reassure me that I was on the right path, to trust the process. He’s contributed not only to the start and success of Sole by La, but he continues to implement ideas and practices that have helped the business thrive beyond what I thought possible.
I also have to give a shoutout to the amazing art community we have here in the Boulder / Denver area. It’s a beautiful, vibrant, talented group of artists that inspire me constantly.

Instagram: @solebyla

Image Credits
ELC Photography