About Dante Perozzi & The She-Shed

A WORD FROM DANTE:

I often joke that DPJ Studios is housed in my backyard she-shed. We really do work out behind my home in a beautifully finished studio space. It is likely that we will eventually outgrow the space but I am content to stay as long as possible in here. It really is amazing what can be done within a very small footprint. Especially when it comes to jewelry making & I am reminded that I began working out of a closet at the start of what became this business.

I transitioned from making and exhibiting large scale architectural sculpture into creating jewelry as soon as I learned how to work metals. It was definitely an instant obsession that enabled me to bring forth the forms and aesthetic I had always enjoyed using in my sculptural work - but in a more accessible, relatable and useful way. Now I make what are essentially little wearable sculptures.

Because I come at jewelry making not from a fashion background but from the background of a sculptor I am able to bring something very different to the table in terms of jewelry design.

Today in my studio practice, each new creation builds upon the last. I often find small elements of previous designs that inspire me on the merit of their form, so I pull them forward and develop them into new ideas. In this way, I am able to create cohesive collections and this process keeps me connected to my artistic foundations while bringing purposeful, powerful objects into the world.

STUDIO PRACTICES

Here at DPJ I am currently producing everything in-house. It's a point of pride but it's hard work!!

Primarily I make work in the Lost Wax casting method, which means I first create our designs in wax and then cast them into metal. Additionally fabrication techniques are used (re. shaping and forming designs directly from sheets of metal and wire).

Materials are Gold, Sterling Silver, and Brass. All of the metals we work with are recycled.

DPJ Studio is committed to eco-efficient choices, conscious studio practices and the use of recycled metals and ethically sourced materials whenever possible.

Women-Owned & Operated

I work with a small team of bad-a** babes who assist me a few days a week to help manage the demand we are meeting these days! It's wonerful.

Green

All metal scraps are saved and sent to our supplier to be recycled and go back in to the creation of many of our pieces.
The jewelry industry traditionally makes heavy use of little plastic baggies, instead we reuse baggies that come our way, recycled, recyclable or compostable paper products whenever we can.
Plastic and paper packaging / shipping materials that come our way are saved and reused.

Local & Community

All of our retail partners are all independent small businesses
We regularly participate in local events to support & get to know our communities.

Made in the USA

All jewelry is handmade in the Dante Perozzi Jewelry Studio
Most gemstones and raw materials are either made in the U.S. or purchased from U.S.-based suppliers whenever possible.