Amy Greely
~ by Paige Langenderfer
Upon first glance at Amy Greely’ s handcrafted jewelry, one might think that her creations are merely beautiful necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. But, look deeper and you will see that each piece is a stunning, meticulously hand-crafted interpretation of the beauty she sees in the world.
You can almost hear her sighing as you read the description of one of her collections on her website < www. AmyGreely. com >.
“ As the heat of the day wanes and dusk begins to rise, petals unfurl in the gloaming and serve as the inspiration for the Evening Primrose Collection,” she describes.“ This sweet offering is hand cut, hand formed, hand textured, and hand colored from sterling silver and 22k gold / sterling silver bi-metal. With a soft brown patina contrasting the rich glow of gold, you can hear the hush as dusk settles in and the blossoms open to embrace the moon. Breathe it in.”
Her pieces, as unique as each leaf on a tree, are sold in stores across the country, and in New Leaf, her store in Nashville, Indiana. Recognized as an Indiana Artisan, an acknowledgement reserved for only the top artisans in the state, the path to a life of self-expression was not always clear.
Amy always loved art, but being the only artistic member of a science-minded family made the idea
16 Our Brown County • Jan./ Feb. 2018 courtesy photos
of a life of art seem unrealistic. After following in her siblings’ footsteps and attending Purdue University for a year, Amy knew she had to follow her heart.“ It just wasn’ t the right fit for me,” she said. She transferred to IU’ s Herron School of Art and
Design to study sculpture.
“ After I graduated, I couldn’ t figure out how to make a living at it, so I just started working other jobs,” she said.“ I did a little bit of everything, waiting tables, sales, and telemarketing.”
Things started falling into place when, on a whim, Amy and her husband bought 15 acres and a crumbling farm house in Brown County.