Brillion jewelry artist creates keepsakes from stories, memories

Many of Candi Teachman’s sales begin with the following question, “What story would you like to tell?”

Teachman, owner of Gray Hat Creations in Brillion, is making stories, events, and memories into tangible keepsakes. Those keepsakes take the form of jewelry; much of it inspired by nature.

She said, “Years and years ago, I took a metalsmithing class not knowing what to expect, and it was like learning magic. I got to try melting, hammering, etching, drilling, sawing, and filing metal into new and exciting shapes.”

That was 2002. She took three semesters of metalsmithing classes before graduating from Western Illinois University with a degree in arts, graphic design and communications.

After graduation, she worked in graphic design. Most of it was freelance work and she became skilled