Hello! My name is Rose Fritch. I am the creative force behind Hawk Mountain Metals, a tiny jewelry studio in Kempton, PA.
My story begins on my family homestead, an old farmhouse nestled at the base of Hawk Mountain. As an artist, I truly love it here as it's easy to find inspiration just beyond my door. The organic textures and flawless symmetry in nature are my greatest influence, but I'm also inspired by metal in its simplest form. There's something magical about an untouched spool of wire and the glimmer from a brand new sheet of silver, straight from the machine, ready to meet a hammer or blade. My favorite designs have a clear connection to my process. Every hammer mark tells a story of how the piece was made, and by incorporating natural stones, I hope to bring a little bit of the wild into our human narrative.
I've been designing jewelry for more than 20 years. I'm most content when working with my hands, so a career in the arts was a natural life progression. I earned my B.F.A. in Fine Metals from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. I dabbled in many mediums while enrolled as an Art Education major, but during my junior year I enrolled in the elective that would change the entire trajectory of my life: Intro to Fine Metals. Something shifted. I've always been a technically proficient artist, but struggled to find inspiration. But when I picked up those tools my hands couldn't keep up with my brain, I knew I had found my medium. So, against the advice of my elders and all my better judgment, I immediately changed my major and dove head first into the art of metalsmithing and painted enamel.
While finishing my degree I landed a job designing for a lovely local business called Sorrelli Jewelry. There I spent 13 years learning the ins and outs of the fashion jewelry industry, global sourcing, and production. As their lead designer I had the opportunity to design full collections, plus exclusive products for national accounts such as Anthroplogie, BHLDN, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Adrianna Papell and Swarovski Crystal. I was also able to reignite my passion for education by facilitating their jewelry internship program with Kutztown University. It was a wonderfully exciting career, but at the end of the day, I missed the sense of peace I once found in my process. I longed for the freedom to choose rest and recharge outdoors, and the healing powers found in the slow art of handmade. So one day, I took a giant leap of faith. I cashed out my savings, turned in my resignation, and started renovating our barn…And I'm still here building a dream.
I've grown very comfortable taking giant leaps of faith as an entrepreneur, but most importantly, I've fallen back in love with my process, and I hope people feel that when they wear my work. I'm honored when someone chooses a piece of my work for their jewelry collection. Your jewelry tells a story without words, one rich with history, sentiment & self expression. That's why I create one of a kind designs, there's an incredible sense of fulfillment each time a piece finds its person.
As of now, I’m settling into my new studio, which may be small, but there's plenty of room for growth! I built a new gallery wall for your shopping convenience, a consultation area to discuss all your jewelry needs, you can see where your jewelry is made AND there's room to teach jewelry workshops! In many ways I’ve come full circle, as I find myself back at home base, honoring my roots in fine metal, but once again, this progression was a natural one, and I love how things are unfolding here.
Thank you so much for wearing and sharing my work. Nature may be my muse, but you are my reason. It’s true what they say: When you shop small you really do support big dreams. For me, however, that dream looks like getting a little smaller, more intentional, and growing deeper roots within my community.
