Designer Spotlight: Cady Carlson - Shapeways Blog
Designer Spotlight: Cady Carlson
September 14, 2016
Shapeways designer Cady Carlson’s shop is a fun mix of whimsical and lighthearted products (a “I Love You More Than Bacon” bracelet, anyone?), while also having incredible stories of inspiration behind the creation of each piece.
Cady specializes in designing and CAD-Programming custom jewelry for individuals and businesses and one of her particular loves is giving older jewelry an updated look. While using traditional jewelry as inspiration, Cady says, “I believe we’re often given so many rules and processes that viewing something built or created before there was an ‘official’ way brings me back to the innovation that is inherent in all humans before it was beaten out of us.” Because of this philosophy, she makes a conscious effort to trust her instincts when designing. “Once I have sketches, I’ll put on HGTV or Netflix while modeling in CAD — this helps to keep me distracted enough so that I won’t second guess my aesthetics,” Cady says of her creative process.
Below are some of Cady’s gorgeous designs and the inspiration behind each.
Body Language Ring was inspired by the Queen song and is a part of my “Dimensionality in Music” series. The design process began after sculpting with sand while listening to the song, after which I made ring sketches based on the final sand product.
Love Song Cufflinks were inspired by Sara Bareilles’ song. The tempo was easy to visualize as a beating speaker, which is where the final design came in.
Seeking Shelter Pendant was created for a show that addressed homelessness in the Tulsa (Oklahoma) community, combining the artwork of both the homeless community and the socially conscious artists who would like to address the issues that homeless folks deal with on a daily basis. My design represents a fragile asylum sought but not attained by many in the homeless communities around the world. The fire in the basin symbolizes the intense need for safety and comfort.
Check out Cady’s beautiful designs in her Shapeways shop below!