Written by Kaitlynne Rainne. Photo courtesy of Timothy Stammen.
“I didn’t even visit the school. I just knew that’s where I needed to be,” says Timothy Stammen, Savannah College of Art and Design alumn and founder of Bezalel High Jewelry and House of Awr.
Stammen grew up on the Northeast coast in Camden, Maine where he enjoyed a balance of artistic and natural pursuits, eventually merging the two into a jewelry house that celebrates design and detail. However, before he could build his brand, Stammen had to learn the power of process and hone his skills.
Stammen transferred into SCAD during the spring quarter of 2006. After stepping foot into the warm southern city of Savannah, he knew this was where he needed to be.
“SCAD gave me a good opportunity to not only hone my craft but I could also play basketball which, at the time, was a huge part of my life,” he says.
Stammen’s first intro class was taught by late SCAD professor Bonnie Kubasta who pushed him to dive head-first into the conceptual side of his projects. Through exploring the design process in such heavy detail, the puzzle pieces slowly snapped into place. Similarly to his faith, grounded in the Creation story, Stammen’s work is grounded in his design’s origin story and it became his favorite part of the process.
“Design didn’t mean simply making something that’s pretty,” says Stammen. “Design now meant making something that held meaning.”
Upon graduating from SCAD with a B.F.A. in Metals and Jewelry, Stammen landed a job at Tiffany’s. After that, he moved on to design for Zoltan David where he worked as a Goldsmith and Diamond Setter. Both experiences taught Stammen the power and necessity of working step by step.
“I wasn’t allowed to make mistakes,” says Stammen. “I recall Mr. David telling me, ‘I don’t pay you to make jewelry fast. I pay you to make jewelry perfect.’ That really stuck with me.”
However, four years into his professional career, Stammen had the urge to open his own brand. A place where he could continue his perfected practice but also allow himself to explore his designs more openly and creatively. In 2015, he opened Bezalel, the first enterprise of his jewelry house.
While other high-end jewelry brands were named after their founders, Stammen wanted something different. He wanted a name equally personal yet unique and not simply his name. Bezalel came from the Old Testament Hebrew name of the artisan appointed to Moses by God. In scripture, Bezalel was a craftsman gifted in designing with precious gemstones and metal. For Stammen, the name held so much history and purpose and was rooted in his faith. It was everything he wanted his brand to represent.
House of Awr, which offers custom designs under Bezalel, draws upon the same Hebrew origin and literally translates to “containing light from above.” Though the custom pieces he creates in House of Awr are more rooted in his client’s needs, the process remains the same, and where Stammen finds the magic.
He designs by working with clients and imagery to bring to life designs that they would not find anywhere else. Each piece is designed in his Nashville, Tenn. studio and delicately handcrafted and brought to life with ethically sourced materials. Being in charge of every step of the process allows Stammen to design at an exceptionally high standard.
While House of Awr is what Stammen calls the “bread and butter” of his jewelry house, the high jewelry side, Bezalel is what he hopes to continue building more.
“I had this conflict where I knew I had to make my business viable through the custom designs for clients but my heart is on the creative side.”
When it comes to the pieces he designs under Bezalel, Stammen draws his inspiration from his faith, always returning to that origin of process and concept. Repetition, symmetry and nature are all significant themes to him. They allow him to not only return to the small, intricate details that initially attracted him to jewelry design but they call to another integral part of his life, his faith, which is grounded in the intricacy of heavenly and human life.
Currently, Stammen is working on and crafting a series of twelve pieces for Bezalel all based on fruit, harvest and gardening. The concept marries nature and spirituality and allows him to do what he loves: explore the beauty of intricacy melded with creativity.
In taking the time to master his craft, Stammen unleashed a vault of creativity and potential that allowed him to build Bezalel and House of Awr, and more importantly, mold himself into the designer he is today. He acknowledges that he wouldn’t have had the success he’s had if he had not taken the time to hone his craft after graduation. He urges upcoming graduates to do the same.
“Regardless of how big your dreams are or where you want to end up, take the time to develop your skills and master your craft.”
Kaitlynne Rainne is the Chief Copy Editor for District. As an editor and a writer, Kaitlynne is passionate about storytelling in all genres of writing and helping others find their voice. Her work ranges from profiles, spotlights, and advice pieces. In her free time, Kaitlynne loves going on walks, making oddly specific Spotify playlists, reading and working on her novel.
