FOLIOby Erin Thursby
The Riverside Arts Market is more than just a market. Vendors serve the community, and they are the community. This month we’ll be covering the beautiful jewelry of Twice Treasured designs, run by Denny and Michelle Walsh. Besides RAM on Saturdays, you can also find them at the Orange Park Farmers’ & Arts Market on Sundays (September through May) and the Carling Building during First Wednesday Art Walks. You can also look them up via Etsy and Facebook.
EU: How long have you been at the Riverside Arts Market?
Denny Walsh: I started at RAM in August of 2011 and have participated for nearly every Saturday since.
EU: How often can people find you there?
DW: I am at RAM every Saturday in Space 512, directly across from the Round House Stage.
EU: Tell us about your product.
DW: I transform old silverware spoons, forks and knives into bracelets, rings, necklaces and accessory items such as bud vases and cheese markers.
EU: What’s your inspiration for design?
DW: It’s mainly the beauty of the old silverware that inspires me. Since the late 1800s there have been over 5,000 different pattern designs created by over a 100 different makers. That provides me an almost endless source of new designs to introduce to my customers. I also like to utilize all of as many pieces as I can. For example, from a pair of forks I can make a bracelet from the pattern ends and a double tine bracelet from the other ends. Other tine ends become Elephant or Forktopus pendants, or a set of my Cheese Markers: fork ends flattened and stamped with various cheese names that are used to identify items on a party cheese display.
EU: What do you love about RAM?
DW: I have to mention how great and helpful the RAM team and volunteers are every Saturday. Krysten, Kim, Harriet and Cory work so hard every time to make RAM a great and inviting venue for us artisans to display and sell our wares to our customers.
I also want to note how much camaraderie and support our ‘RAMily’ of vendors gives to one another, whether it’s helping cover for restroom breaks or sending customers to one another if what we have is not the perfect gift they were looking for.
EU: What should folks know about you that they don’t?
DW: I was a corporate officer of a major wholesale company before changing careers to become a silverware jewelry artist. My beautiful bride gave me the confidence, inspiration and support to pursue and make my dream job a reality.
Visit Twice Treasured Designs and all the other wonderful artisans at the Riverside Arts Market every Saturday 10 am-4 pm, under the Fuller Warren Bridge on Riverside Avenue, close to the Cummer.
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