Miller
Designs was established by Gail Barker Miller in 1990 when she decided
that commuting to the mainland to work was more than she could handle with
two small children.
Her
tenure at Heritage Lanterns in Yarmouth, Maine gave her the metalsmith
training, and her interest in arts and crafts gave her the ideas, to start
creating beautiful barrettes.
Since
then, Miller Designs has expanded its collection to include: pins, earrings,
bracelets, ornaments, napkin rings and other treasures. Gail
Miller's unique studio is located in her home on Chebeague Island, Maine.
David,
her lobsterman husband, pitches in to help as soon as his traps and boat
are ashore in the fall. Other island artisans help out in the busy
season.
These
beautiful treasures are created in Copper, Brass, and Nickel making them
both wonderfully exciting and truly affordable gift items.
Each
piece starts with cutting the sheet metal to rough size. Then the
die is chosen, the metal piece inserted, then all are placed in the
hydraulic press. The piece is then trimmed, filed, formed, and soldered.
After polishing, cleaning, and packaging, the finished item goes to market.
The result of this process is a truly unique and beautiful item, perhaps
a barrette, earrings, bracelet, pin, ornament or napkin rings, which will
soon be in the hands of its new and delighted owner. These treasures
are one-of-a-kind items that will last and last.
Jewelry
and other creations from Miller Designs may also be found at the following
locations in Maine:
-
archipelago
in Rockland
-
West
Shore Designs (seasonally) in Boothbay Harbor
-
Handworks
in Yarmouth
-
Just
Maine Made in Portland
-
Stone
Soup Artisans in Saco