We appreciate your interest in Bent & Bound. We are River and Andrew.

We live "the wild life" in the mountain town of Waynesville, NC with our two young boys, Julian and Huckleberry.

Our path in metalsmithing began minutes from our previous Michigan home, in a studio (Fritz and Friends) owned and operated by our now dear friend Jayne DePotter. Bent & Bound was born from the foundation of skills given to us by Jayne and the amazing team of artists that she has brought together. This journey of self discovery through metal art would never have happened without the space that Jayne has created.

Before we began taking classes in metalsmithing we had always wanted to be able to channel our creative energies into a business where we could work with our hands and that we could build together. Our spark for creating jewelry hadn't fully actualized itself until we happened upon Jayne's studio. We are so honored and grateful to Fritz and Friends for making our passion for creating together a reality.

We find inspiration in our shared humanity and culture. Jewelry is not necessary for survival in any way, yet civilizations throughout history have expressed themselves through the use of jewelry and other adornments. When we place a piece of jewelry on our bodies there is a visceral connection between the past and present. Humans have performed this shared ritual for centuries, still this simple act feels ever new to the individual. It's this ritual of adornment that creates a kinship that spans the ages.

We find a deep joy in working with our hands. It's beautiful to step back physically and mentally from our work and see that our mind and body are working in unison to bring to life an object of our passion. Knowing that the spirit that we feel in the piece will find a connection with and within another, and that spirit will be on display to carry inspiration forward.