Today I am so excited to share with you an AMAZING woman, Annie Wangsgard. Not only is she a wife and a mother to three beautiful, She is also a VERY TALENTED Silversmith. Relatively new to the trade, she is creating some amazing pieces and I have no doubt she will only get better and better.
When I saw Annie’s work, I knew I had to share this Idaho Gem with friends! She was kind enough to answer some questions and give us a glimpse into her world.
A: I grew up in a family of 8. Things were sometimes a little crazy. Us kids loved playing Cowboys and Indians with our ponies, or jumping off the top of the hay stack. I'm sometimes surprised that we all survived. We didn't have video games, and rarely had television. This made it possible for not only the best childhood ever, but it also gave me plenty of time to practice skills I would use in my silver work later in life. I feel this was a huge blessing. I now am a wife and mother of 3 kids that keep me very busy. I love them so much it’s worth the craziness for sure.
Annie grew up in a western lifestyle and she is raising her family the same.
Pictured below is Annie's daughter learning in the silver shop.
Pictured below is Annie's daughter learning in the silver shop.
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| Silversmith in the Making |
Q: How long have you been doing silver work and how did you get started?
A: I have been working as a silversmith for 5 years, and I have been engraving for a little over 6 years. I started out doing leatherwork, but the silver always seemed to interest me. I had no idea where to even start. I began searching the internet for any engravers or silversmiths around this area. I was blessed to find some engravers in Idaho and a couple were kind enough to give me a few pointers. Later I attended ISU's metal smithing classes to learn the basics for silversmithing. This was a really fun class. I never knew school could be so fun. I also did not know how much I would love doing silver work.
(***Shout out to all you college students…or any student for that matter….. Read that last line again…. “This was a really fun class. I never knew school could be so fun. I also did not know how much I would love doing silver work” Sound advice when starting a career path…..LOVE what you do!
A: I think my favorite thing about silver work is being able to make an idea come to life! The biggest challenge would have to be learning by trial and error. I have come to learn that no matter how many classes you take it’s the hands on practicing that seems to be the best teacher. (Even when it really makes you mad because you ruined something)
A: I don't think I have only one favorite piece, because almost every time I finish a piece it becomes my new favorite. I do, however, know that my favorite thing to make is rings. I love the tiny intricate details of rings.
As you can see from the pictures, Annie's work speaks for itself! Love her work and can't wait to see more from this talented artist in the future. THANK You to Annie for taking the time to share a piece of her story with us. Also, a shout out to my dear friend, Jana Davis, she tipped me off about Annie's silverwork and I'm so glad she did.
If you could like to see more of Annie's work follow her on facebook and Instagram
Silver Dust Engraving by Annie https://www.facebook.com/silverdustannie/
Silverdust1 on Instagram
Order and Contact Info
Silver Dust Engraving by Annie https://www.facebook.com/silverdustannie
Email: anniewangsgard@yahoo.com
THANK YOU so much for stopping to visit. So thankful to have you here and be able to share this talented young artist with you. Much Love, Mindy
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