About Sharon Saint Don, Metalsmith

About Sharon Saint Don

I’m Sharon Saint Don, a professional metalsmith creating handcrafted silver and gold jewelry in my small Port Townsend, Washington studio. I’ve worked with metal for over 30 years, designing and fabricating heirloom-quality jewelry meant to be worn daily and last a lifetime. I design and make every piece myself, working in small batches from start to finish.

I discovered metalworking in 1991 while studying at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Drawn to the mental challenge and permanence of metal, I began working with bronze, steel, and iron before moving to Seattle to continue my studies in 1992. In 1998, I earned my BFA in Metal Design from the University of Washington, Seattle. During that time, I spent a quarter studying in Rome through the UW studios at Campo Dei Fiori, followed by several months of low budget travel through North Africa and the Middle East—experiences that continue to influence my approach to form, material, and restraint.

Over the years, I’ve worked with metal in many contexts, both independently and alongside other artists, ranging from large-scale fabrication to fine jewelry, and using materials from iron to gold. I also spent more than a decade co-owning a custom fine cabinetry and finish carpentry business in Port Townsend. That work reinforced the importance of precision, durability, and respect for materials—values that strongly inform how I design and make jewelry today.

I now live and work on a simple half-acre in Port Townsend, where my small home and studio sit at the edge of a second-growth forest with 100 year old red cedars and ravens to keep me company. Outside the studio, I tend a large organic food and herb garden, with berries, salad greens, and plants for birds and pollinators. Stepping away from the bench to work in the garden helps keep me healthy, and inspired to live a simple, conscious, creative life.