On a whim while perusing potential degrees offered by the University of Wisconsin where she had just enrolled, Rachel Kedinger spotted one in jewelry, metalworking, and art, and signed up with hardly a second thought. While she had not previously shaped metal with her own hands, Rachel’s childhood playground was her father’s auto salvage yard, a magical place that she describes as “a big jungle gym of metalwork.” Her “treehouse.” With these fond memories in tow, she graduated in 2012 with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing, and soon left Milwaukee.

Degree in hand, Rachel spent time in Detroit, Michigan and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where she sought various opportunities to learn and work alongside other artists and metalsmith shops. From “heavy forging in 90 degree weather” to crafting small, utilitarian objects, her repertoire of work continued to grow. From 2016 to 2018, a fellowship at the renowned Penland School of Craft in the mountains of western North Carolina further propelled her skills, and her perspective on both the art and business of handcraft.

Memories of her grandparent’s home and the objects that filled it has provided ongoing inspiration to Rachel’s design aesthetic, complementing her belief that “Metalwork, in general, should aim to be somewhat timeless.” Crafting visually appealing, functional, everyday objects at her studio in Philadelphia where she now lives and works is Rachel’s primary endeavor. The wares we offer from this talented artist represent the culmination of skills to which she has dedicated herself and her career. From blacksmithing, to machining, fabrication, and enameling, each requiring years to master, this special set of expertise can be seen in full force in the beautiful objects Rachel makes for our collection. Serving spoons and crab hammers alike, Rachel’s purposeful, thoughtful approach to everything she creates is without question. Once the student, today Rachel is invited back to the Penland School of Craft to teach the next generation of doers, and we’re honored to present her wares to the world.