Meet Mackenzie Palladino | Independent Metalsmith

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

Hi Mackenzie, what do you attribute your success to?
All of my art work is easily identifiable. I’ve created my own aesthetic to the point of clear recognition. So many details I put into my pieces are very much my own style and that has served me so well over the years.

I truly go to great lengths to bring my designs to life. I plan out collections very extensively, it’s more than just the pieces I create. I put so much effort into the photo shoots, videography, shoot location, styling, etc. That has always made my work stand out from all of the other metalsmiths who do what I do.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I put my heart and soul into my work and I always have. I’ve been an artist my entire life, two of my greatest passions are nature and music, which have fully influenced my creative process. I attended art school at East Carolina University, I was lucky to have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest metalsmithing professors in the United States. I started metalsmithing in 2012 when I was in school and haven’t turned away from the craft.

There are quite a few things I could say about myself and my business. Mostly, I want people to know how hard I work. I’m an independent metalsmith, a one woman show. I vend at large scale music festivals, create customs, and design pieces for musicians in Nashville, TN. My business and work ethic paved the way for my relocation to Nashville in 2021, which has proved to be an incredible business decision.

I have designed pieces for countless musicians over the years. A few artists that own my work are, but not limited to: Bob Weir, Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, Wynonna Judd, Lainey Wilson, Paul Hoffman (Greensky Bluegrass), Drayton Farley, Colby Acuff, Andy Hall (Infamous Stringdusters), etc.

Two of my greatest career highlights: -Bob Weir wearing my work while performing at Playing in the Sand, a world famous music festival in Mexico, 2023.
-Designing two bolo ties for Lainey Wilson’s CMT performance, 2023.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Nashville itinerary (top three):

Casual Food:
-Dinos, Dolly Parton dive bar
-Mas Tacos, best tacos
-Deg Thai, best Thai street food

Fine Dining:
-Noko, asian cuisine
-Kisser, asian (lunch) cuisine
-MOTO, Italian

Nicer Bars:
-*Urban Cowboy, the best bar in Nashville in my opinion.
– Pearl Diver, Tiger Bar, Lucky’s 3 Star, Good Times, Roy’s, -same ownership, all consistently great places
-Attaboy, amazing cocktails

Dive Bars:
-Mickey’s (if you know you know)
-Duke’s
-Schulman’s

Hiking/waterfalls:
-Burgess Falls
-Stillhouse Falls
-Flyfishing on the Harpeth

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have many people I would love to thank but one person who has significantly impacted my life on an artistic level is my mentor, Mark Read. I worked alongside Mark in his metalsmithing studio when I lived in Boone, NC. After graduating from Appalachian State, I continued living in Western North Carolina and was extremely lucky to have benefited from Mark’s mentorship, artistic guidance, and detail-oriented influence. My art became what it is today because of this experience and I owe him so much. People say “you are who you surround yourself with” and I couldn’t agree more. I am a hard working and proud artist because of my extensive work with Mark Read.

Website: www.Semplicedesigns.com

Instagram: @semplicedesigns

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCI4hmEP3YeWt-sCuV3PKxXg?sub_confirmation=1

Image Credits
Will do so via email (It wouldn’t let me delete this ^) Photos by Hayley Gjertsen Photo of me by Thalia Villarosa