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

Hi Deborah, how do you think about risk?
For the past 15 years I had been working in a small, rural K-12 school as a school counselor. As I was counseling students about their future plans, I started reflecting on my own life and why I was in this career to begin with. After Covid, thing started to really change in the school system, and the joy that I once felt doing this career, started to diminish. Although I enjoyed working with students, the stress level of working in mental health became overwhelming. I continued to think that I had to stick with this career because it was safe. I only had a few more years to work until I could retire. I was good at what I did and well respected in the school and small community, but I just didn’t get the satisfaction of using the creative gifts that God had given me. I had been dabbling in silversmithing after school and on the weekends and I found great joy in this. After long reflection and prayer I realized that the risk of quitting the safe, secure job was well worth it for me personally. Life is too short to do something that causes you so much stress and doesn’t help generate that creative itch. It was a leap of faith for me to quit this career and to pursue silversmithing full-time. Let me tell you though, the risk was well worth it and I am now seeing the rewards. It was the best decision that I have ever made for myself and there’s no looking back.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

For many years I found myself crafting as a hobby. I enjoyed sewing, painting and repurposing items with a western flair. I would take them to the local craft show and sell them. It brought me great joy to see other people purchasing items that I had created. For years I had been collecting ceramic plates that had western images on them. I had this idea to cut these images and re-purposed them as jewelry. The only problem was that I knew nothing about silversmithing. My husband’s hobby had been building spurs, and so after a little coaxing he agreed to teach me the basics of soldering. About a year later God orchestrated a meeting with a silversmith, Ray Bernal. This changed everything for me. On January 1, 2020 Ray invited me to come to his studio. There he went over the basics of silversmithing and helped me make a list of all of the things that I was going to need in order to get set up. He and I made a ring together, but most of all he gave me the confidence to do this!

My niche is taking ceramic dishes with western images and turning them into wearable art. I cut the images and then create a unique sterling silver setting to compliment the plate. I have made western concho belts, squash blossoms, earrings, belt buckles, necklaces and bracelets. I also enjoy dabbling in elk ivory jewelry. Repurposing items into beautiful works of wearable art is my joy!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Saratoga, Wyoming. It’s a rural area with only a little over a thousand people in population. We are surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, so if you aren’t an outdoorsman you won’t enjoy this visit!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It would be silly not to recognize God as the number one reason I am where I’m at. Many people played a role in encouraging me and teaching me this trade, but God orchestrated them all! He heard my prayers to do something else that made me feel creatively satisfied. I owe it all to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Website: dburkedesignjewelry.com

Instagram: @deborah_burke

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/D.burkedesign/

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