Hey, hi, how are ya?!
My name is Tiffany, and I'm the metalsmith behind Dura Mater Designs.
I am entirely self-taught: relying on books, the internet, and occasionally a few words of advice from other metalsmiths. Trial, error, and tenacity were the most excellent teachers of all; however, this is a never-ending journey: there is always something new to learn in this ancient craft.
I started out in 2006-2007 with fishing line and plastic beads, eventually transitioning into basic wire-wrapping. I soon added basic stamping to my work, bought pre-made copper blanks to stamp words and messages on, and added them to my basic wire-wrapping. As time went on, I slowly - very, very slowly due to life stuff - began to learn how to work with fire and began my foray into metalsmithing.
I was born and raised in rural northwest-ish Pennsylvania, surrounded by farmers, rednecks, and the Amish community. Growing up, it was perfectly normal to have an Amish horse-and-buggy clip-clop by our house, or to see Amish kids rollerskating in the town square during the summers. I loved the country, but I desperately yearned for a more open-minded, less religious, environment.
Life ended up taking me to Illinois, where I spent 3.5 years living in the west suburbs of Chicago and later on, a little further northwest, in Rockford. I hated living in Rockford, but I loved Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. The diversity was everything my little country-bumpkin heart had craved my whole life and I was in love with the inclusiveness, the grittiness, the artistry, the food, the music...
...but, at the end of the day I'm a country mouse at heart. My soul needed the country and my heart needed my family, so I made the decision to move back to Pennsylvania in 2019 to be close to what was left of my family. I loaded a uhaul with my belongings, my workbench, my tools, and my three black cats, hitched my car to the back of the uhaul, and made the drive back to Pennsylvania entirely on my own.
I am a level III pediatric home health nurse during the day, with my certifications for trachs, vents, and IV lines. I take care of kids with diverse medical needs, and while I loathe the American heathcare system, I very much love what I do. My goal, though, is to be able to hang my stethoscope up for good in order to be a full-time metalsmith, working with my hands and my heart in a craft that's nearly as old as humanity.
I find a great deal of decadence in the simplest things: a good book, a hot mug of strong coffee, the purr of a well-loved cat, the sound of spring peepers, the lap of the water against the shoreline at the lake where I collect my pebbles...life is full of simple, simple pleasures that are extraordinarily decadent.
Life is also hard, though. It is cruel. People are so cruel to one another now more than ever before. So, I'd rather work with my hands and my heart to create things that will bring a bit of joy to someone's life, because I feel that's what being alive is all about: loving and being loved in return.
You can see glimpses of my personal life on my Instagram account, just follow @duramaterdesigns! You'll see everything from behind-the-scenes at my workbench, my three spoiled minions, my coffee addiction, and all manner of living. Just be warned: I am not a vanilla person and my interests vary. ;)
And, you can always find me here.
