Mountains and Metals
As an artist her whole life, Mackenzie Palladino didn’t begin diving into metal work until 2012, and she really struggled with it. But for her 2018 New Year’s resolution, she decided she was going to kick-start her metalsmith jewelry business into full gear. While Semplice Designs has been official since 2013, it wasn’t in full operation until last year.
She remembered taking a class for metal working when she attended Eastern Carolina University and just dreading it. Working with metal is intensive, meticulous, and can be really frustrating. “I’ve learned patience over the past seven years. You really have to plan out what you’re doing. You can’t just wing it,” Mackenzie said.
Since transferring from ECU to Appalachian State University, she has found unending inspiration in the High Country. The two muses for her jewelry – Nature and music, with which she believes Boone is full to the brim. “Even the relationships I have with people in town are just really beautiful,” beamed Mackenzie. “Everybody has a connection in a way. The connection really is that we all love being here.”
Before settling in Boone, Mackenzie never listened to bluegrass music, but now she can’t get enough of it. She pulls from this music and has developed a Western-style in her art. Enter her newfound love of bolo ties. While one could perhaps find a refurbished bolo tie at a second-hand vintage store, it can be difficult to come across modern handmade ones. This is where Mackenzie specializes. “I like to make things I’ve never seen before. To me as an artist, that is the most important thing – originality.”
She shares her work and life through her business’s Instagram, @semplicedeisgns. An important aspect of her work is that she can share her process and story with others. “It kind of connects people that are buying my product with what I’m doing in life and what I’m producing as well.” When she travels all over the country, she likes to pick up gemstones from local stores for her jewelry and highlight them on her page so each art piece has a story behind it.
Mackenzie makes everything by hand, from cutting sheet metal to making her own textures to filing her designs. If you haven’t seen her famous bolo ties yet, (country artist Tyler Childers wore his at his MerleFest performance!) we highly suggest you head over to her page and check them out. Mackenzie, we love your originality, your work, and your love for Boone!