Loren Barham, Loren Hope Designs, LLC

Loren BarhamIt is not often enough that passion and commitment combine to guide someone in the way that it did in the case of Loren Barham. Ten years ago, Loren made a decision to leave behind her studies in fine arts to marry her partner Aaron and join him in England where he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force. By taking a chance, she discovered an affinity for tapping into her creative spirit and began designing handcrafted jewelry at her kitchen table to earn an income. Now, after years of dreaming, planning, and learning, Loren is a leader in the local jewelry industry with her business Loren Hope Designs, LLC.

In a studio in an old manufacturing mill in Providence, Loren and her team of seven take great pride in their work creating stunning jewelry—often with vintage components—in a way that is considerate of customers, the environment, and the local market. She said, “We are truly passionate about jewelry, Rhode Island’s prominent history in the industry, and about preserving the art of skilled craft.” Through her achievements leading Loren Hope Designs, Loren is optimistic that her work will inspire those around her to explore their creative potential and channel it towards their own work.

Loren accredits a great deal of her team’s inspiration to the vendors they do business with. They are multi-generational and offer perspective and insight about their processes, sharing their rich, interesting stories along the way. The fascinating people around her reinforce the love that Loren has for giving back to the community and supporting local artisans. She actively seeks to preserve their skills by working closely alongside them to collaborate on ideas, techniques and processes to create innovative, heirloom quality costume jewelry.

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