Freshie's jewelry made 'with love and a hammer' on display at Renaissance Center

Release Date: 1/22/2009. Expired: 3/14/2009

Jewelry made “with love and a hammer” will be featured in the North Wing Display Cases as The Renaissance Center in Dickson exhibits the works of Freshie & Zero Jan. 23-March 14.

An opening reception will be 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30.

Beth Lawrence, also known as Freshie, began making plastic earrings to sell in her neighborhood when she was a child. She studied art, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Belmont University, and began trying to earn a living in the art field.

“I thought the only way to make a living off of art was to paint, and I just didn't have the passion for painting,” Lawrence said. “I worked in art galleries and tried being a sales rep for a couple of years.”

In order to make some extra money, she returned to making jewelry in 2001, which eventually led to the launching of the Freshie & Zero line. Zero is Lawrence’s Jack Russell terrier and Freshie is a nickname Lawrence picked up at one of her jobs from a manager who liked it because it rhymed with “Bethie.”

The hobby began to move to the next level as she began applying to craft shows, improving her skills and developing outlets and marketing tools for her work.

“By listening to what customers liked and disliked at craft shows, I was really able to tweak my line and make it better,” she said.

She continued honing her jewelry skills by trying different techniques until one day when she purchased a hammer and began experimenting with wire, and found her signature style.

Lawrence begins with a piece of sterling silver or gold-filled wire, which she then shapes into a circle, square or other little form. Then taking the wire to her anvil, she hammers it out while purposefully leaving the hammer marks as a distinct style. She often adds asymmetrical touches of gemstones or freshwater pearls, further pushing the rough and delicate dichotomy. Her modern jewelry, including lariats, earrings, necklaces and more, demonstrates a sophisticated elegance in its simplicity.

“I strive to create jewelry that is pretty, modern and classic,” said Lawrence. “I mostly use simple geometric shapes and I constantly push myself to create new ways of making a feminine piece of jewelry out of these simple forms. Each piece is handcrafted using a hammer and wire and the end result is a mix of delicate sophistication and bold elegance, from the dainty wire outlines to the more solid silver hammered discs.”

Lawrence has shown her jewelry in fairs and festivals across the country, including the Renegade Craft Fair in New York and the Indie Designer Market in Chicago. Her pieces are now sold in stores, galleries and boutiques in 12 different states, including Queen Bee, Art and Invention Gallery, Bennett Gallery and Indulge in Nashville, The Skinbar in Brentwood, Philanthropy in Franklin and Mesh in Murfreesboro, as well as online at www.freshieandzero.com.

For more information on the Freshie & Zero jewelry exhibit in the North Wing Display Cases at The Renaissance Center Jan. 23-March 14, call (615) 740-5600 or visit www.rcenter.org.

Galleries at The Renaissance Center are open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and admission is free.

The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.

Visit the Visual Arts Gallery page for more about the gallery.

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