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

Hi Linda, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
Being a solo entrepreneur for almost ten years now has taught me the necessity of taking time to slow down, focus and tune into my own inner compass for guidance on how to keep moving forward. There have been many times where I’ve felt self doubt, getting caught up in comparing my work to other artists, not feeling like I measure up. It takes a lot of effort to recognize that voice of self assessment and to choose another way of thinking where I can instead appreciate my individual artistic expression as a distinct and valuable element in a vast sea of other distinct and valuable artistic expressions. Essentially, it has helped me develop a deeper sense of appreciation and recognition of my place in the world, which helps me feel more connected to and appreciative of others as well. It’s something I never would have predicted that my career would teach me to be a more confident, compassionate, better human!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My first career was in architecture but I found myself pretty quickly dissatisfied working in the industry and went on to pursue a lot of other creative endeavors, like film making and graphic design, before finally landing on jewelry and metalsmithing. Making jewelry reminded me of what I loved about architecture school: making conceptual small scale models, and working with a wide range of materials to bring my ideas to life. It was in architecture school where I first worked with metal and I fell in love with that material instantly. The smell, the feel, and the look of metal had me hooked. But it would be years before I worked with metal again. The road that led me to jewelry had a lot of twists and turns. In addition to the creative pursuits I also studied Plant Spirit Medicine, and deepened my connection to nature and the living world. I would say the two biggest sources of inspiration for my jewelry come from architecture and nature, so my journey, no matter how circuitous it may have felt to me at the time, now seems providential.

The jewelry I tend to make is usually on the darker side, with lots of texture. I like to think of it as looking like it’s been somewhere, seen some things, and has the strength to keep on fighting. There’s a story, a life lived, in every piece. It’s not jewelry you need to be dainty with, or worry about scratching the surface, as I’ve already done the scratching for you.

There were certainly challenges that I’ve had to overcome to get to where I am today, and there continue to be challenges. Each challenge has been a learning experience and for that I’m grateful. Of course when I’m in the midst of challenge that is a much harder statement to make, especially during those unique and soul wrenching challenges that seem to never end. A big lesson I’ve learned that has helped me in my career, and my life in general, is to really take to heart the old adage, ‘this too shall pass’. Be grateful, laugh a lot, and keep making things.

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.
There are so many great things to do in Asheville and in the surrounding area, but I would start with heading out into the woods. I’m not a big outdoor adventure type person, but I do love just messing about in nature. The best places for that are some little hidden gems of hiking trails off the Blue Ridge Parkway, especially the Mountains to Sea Trail. They’re the trails where you don’t see many cars parked there, and if you’re not paying attention you’ll drive right past the trailhead. For a trail more well traveled I like the Art Loeb Trail in the Pisgah National Forest.

I love coffee, even though it doesn’t love me so much, so I would definitely check out some of my favorite coffee spots: High Five on Riverside Drive, where I can take my dog with me, grab a coffee and take a sweet stroll by the French Broad River. Izzy’s on Haywood Road in West Asheville, and Rowan Coffee, where I feel like I’m in Lord of the Rings for some reason when I’m there. It’s not LOTR themed by any means, but there’s a subtle vibe that I enjoy. I also love tea, so Dobra Tea West is a must stop, and they have amazing kitchari. Moving on to places to eat, I’m a big fan of the vegan restaurant, Plant, where they make the most amazing variety of vegan cheeses and they do things with vegetables I would never have the patience to do at home for myself. Heiwa Shokudo in downtown Asheville has the best ramen, and one of my favorite sushi rolls (salmon lemon).

Lastly, one of my favorite things to do in Asheville is to go see live comedy, usually improv, and there seems to be a growing number of opportunities to see it every week if you’re so inclined. There are so many talented, funny people living here and it’s great to be able to check them out and keep that kind of thing going.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe a big part of my success to the Southern Highland Craft Guild, of which I’ve been a member since 2013. I’m grateful to be a part of a community of highly skilled craftspeople and artists who are dedicated to the vision of keeping the art and tradition of craft a valued part of our culture and everyday life. The opportunities, support, and encouragement I’ve received have been invaluable to my growth as an artist.

Website: https://www.lindaazarmetalsmith.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda_azar/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaAzarJewelry/

Image Credits
Nicole McConville Photography Sarah Hooker Photography

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