Sarah Smith Shoot

"I cherish the freedom I have found working with reclaimed tin. I am able to convey my inspirations through form, colors, and patterns. I want to create whimsical, wearable pieces that spark joy."

Southern Illinois jeweler Sarah Smith Shoot works primarily with barn tin, left behind by a Thanksgiving 2015 fire on the southern Illinois farm where she and her husband raised their two daughters. She was able to see the potential in this material, common on farms in the Midwest. It had been transformed through an event that was deeply traumatic, only to be discovered and reclaimed at a time that she was looking for inspiration.

Sarah has always been drawn to and inspired by natural patterns and colors, as well as their human made counterparts in buildings and street art. She is a prolific photographer and often uses the elements in these images as a form of direct inspiration. She gathers, shapes, paints, collages, and finishes each piece.

Sarah earned a BFA in Fiber Arts from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2000, followed by a period working exclusively in 2D with wood, fibers, and metals. After moving to her farm in 2005, Sarah’s work shifted towards jewelry, where she has found happiness in the opportunity to experiment on a daily basis.