Theresa Applegate

Theresa Applegate was first introduced to the art of metalsmithing about 2003, but her creative journey started well before that. In grade school, Theresa toted around an orange Tupperware container filled with wire, pliers and seed beads. She crafted beaded rings and priced them at 10 cents each.

After earning degrees from the University of Louisville (Master of Arts in Teaching) and The Savannah College of Art and Design (Bachelor of Fine Metals + Jewelry, and Ceramics), Theresa taught high school visual art for 12 years. An exemplary art educator who was recognized for her dedication, commitment and guidance, Theresa inspired excellence in her students in ceramics and jewelry courses. More recently, she shifted her creative focus to her true passion of jewelry design, launching a full-time studio artist practice and business.

“I am an animal lover and collector of curiosities. I find so much beauty in the natural world and strive to capture and preserve it in my artwork,” the creative from New Albany says. “Things that may seem strange to some intrigue me.”

She describes her work as a collection of her experiences, admitting that many of the objects and creatures she collects can be “repulsively mesmerizing. I enjoy the dichotomy; the push/pull quality of the concept, the grotesque nature of the decaying reality of the object juxtaposed with the eternal and ethereal finish of metal,” says Theresa.

She has participated in numerous juried shows and has ceramic work in the permanent collection of the Savannah College of Art and Design. One of her pieces, Perchance to Dream, is published in “500 Necklaces: Contemporary Interpretations of a Timeless Form,” which is promoted as a compendium of some of the most exquisite necklaces created.