Mandy started working at The Locket Sisters about four years ago when my sister and I had to do some international traveling to find answers to some questions that our local mentors and colleagues couldn't provide. I remember we gave her a whole setup for getting photos inside lockets with our process from her home (which is hilarious to think about now). Mandy has been here part-time since n…
A few years ago I made four lockets for a bereaved mother and three of her friends. Each one was a surprise - even the one for her (which I added because it was so generous that she was giving to her friends without even getting one for herself to keep her beloved son, Will, close to her heart, too). While I was making the lockets I had this visceral urge to sit by our windows and pray, to me…
Almost five years ago Amy called and said "I found a studio for us." We're not ready, I told her. We can't afford that. We can't afford not to, she replied. And she booked the appointment to meet with the landlord, Jennifer, who owned hundreds of art studios in The Northeast Minneapolis Art District. Amy said I could come, or she could go alone, but she was meeting Jennifer on Tuesd…
