Alumni Atelier: Hsiang-Ting Yen

Written by Gracie Williams, photo courtesy of Jack Geshel

In the region of Provence, SCAD Lacoste is producing exciting things, thanks to a few special Alumni participating in the Atelier program. All participants are unique, and this summer’s resident jewelry-maker, Hsiang-Ting Yen [M.A. Metals and Jewelry 2010, M.F.A. Jewelry and Objects 2012], is no exception.

When Yen first discovered the program through the Alumni success website, she was concerned that her business was too new to apply, so she put it on the back-burner. A few years later, a friend who participated in the Lacoste Atelier program convinced her to send an inquiry. She was thrilled when they replied in the spring with an invitation to attend.

Back home in Raleigh, North Carolina, Yen is a full-time studio jeweler. She creates custom jewelry such as engagement rings, wedding rings and heirloom jewelry. Custom Jewelry making is a very intimate thing, and she notes that throughout the process, she really gets to know her clients. “I make custom jewelry for women who know who they are, and are not afraid to be bold and confident,” Yen said. “People come to me with their own story and want me to turn it into something tangible for them to cherish. It’s a very rewarding business.” Along with making custom jewelry, she has a collection, HTY Jewelry, which is inspired by geometric patterns and origami – a major contrast to the collection she is creating in Lacoste.

In 2017, Yen took her first trip to Germany and the Netherlands with her friends. Inspired by the decorative Baroque and Rococo style interiors, she developed an idea to create a collection of jewelry based on those interiors. Being the busy artist that she is, she had little time to act on these ideas. But when she was accepted into the program, she revisited the idea and proposed to create a jewelry line inspired by these styles and the rich colors of the Provencal landscapes. “The colors are so intense here,” Yen said. “From the rivers to the sunsets, I definitely see the colors reflected in my work. I’ve even gotten a few comments that my colors remind them of the Rhone river.”

This summer, Yen completed five to seven pieces of jewelry per week to reach her final goal of 40 pieces in 10 weeks. Although she met her goal with ease, one thing that was a major adjustment to Yen was the studio environment. Her workspace was half retail space, half studio and easily accessible to the outside world.

“People come in every day at different times while I’m working. That’s the part that took me a little while to adjust to, but I enjoy it. It makes the day go by faster,” Yen said. Despite the adjustment, this change inspired Yen’s future career plans about having a retail space. Wary at first about the idea, her experience in Lacoste has prompted her to start thinking about it. Now she has a goal to open her own studio space in the near future.

For students who hope to be a part of the Atelier program, Yen offers some advice. “The program can be a bit intimidating, but don’t be afraid to try. You don’t need to feel like, it’s never going to be me. You just have to be confident,” Yen said.

For more information on Hsiang-Ting Yen, visit her website, Facebook and Instagram.