Names matter—a lot. I spent countless hours deliberating over what to call this fledgling venture. Place-based names like “Eugene Metalworks” felt uninspired, and self-referential ones like “FS Studios” seemed generic. While a craft should speak for itself, the way you present it to the world is an extension of your art. Why not have a name that sparks curiosity and adds to your identity?

The name needed to be unique and memorable, yet simple and accessible. It had to reflect my approach to craftsmanship while being aspirational—something to strive for with each piece I create. And if I could embed a hidden meaning, an Easter egg for the curious, all the better.

I’ve always been captivated by the esoteric side of spirituality and religion—the paths less traveled. Gnostics and Sufis, Kabbalah and Tarot, Druids and Shamans. The kind of mysteries you uncover in a tattered book with yellowed pages, tucked into the dusty corner of a used bookstore in a foreign land. In a word: the mystical.

I want my creations to evoke this same sentiment. Like artifacts you might find at the bottom of an antique treasure chest. Pieces that spark a sense of connection to something long forgotten, yet deeply personal. Jewelry and art that remind you of the mystery and uniqueness of life—and, in turn, your own preciousness.

And so, I landed on The Mystic Smith. It’s not just a name—it’s a goal for who I want to become and a reflection of the spirit at the core of my work. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that my last name is already Smith.