Lainey Rae has always had a deep connection to heritage craft. As a goldsmith, her work embraces traditional European technique and a devotion to quality and enduring beauty. With years of experience in vintage fashion, the thread of continuity draws from her understanding of the cycles of fashion, the whimsy of experimentation and the respect of tradition. Adorning the body is a sacred art which Lainey expresses by crafting pieces that will last a lifetime and beyond.
I am a European trained goldsmith who has been practicing my craft for nine years. I specialize in hand fabricated jewellery using sterling silver and recycled gold. Last year, I introduced enamel into repertoire which has been an exciting challenge and has broadened my artistic horizons. I love creating hollow jewellery and intricately hand cut pieces as well as utilizing unconventional elements such as live plants. I have won several awards over the course of my career including Best New Business from the Sooke Chamber of Commerce, Award of Excellence, Juror’s Choice and People’s Choice at the Sooke Fine Arts Show. I am the sole employee of Lainey Rae Goldsmith and make it my mission to ensure my materials are sourced ethically and a high standard of quality is maintained in every piece. My silver and some gold comes from Umicore, a Canadian refinery in Ontario that recycles precious metals. The remainder of my gold and some of my stones are upcycled from broken or unloved jewellery. I am very careful with the sourcing of my stones, building relationships with my dealers to ensure they don’t come from mines where people are being exploited. I also like to use beach rocks, found objects or reclaimed stones in my work. The enamel I use in my work is Thompson Enamel and is unleaded. I craft my jewellery in my home studio in East Sooke. Hand fabricated jewellery is made via a process of hammer forming, hand cutting, filing and soldering. I do very little casting, but when I do, my pieces are sand cast, a process where only one piece is made at a time. I love to sit at my bench, blast my tunes and hang out with my green cheek conure, Pacha while I bring each of my pieces to life.
We respectfully acknowledge that the Filberg Festival takes place on the unceded traditional territory of the K'omoks First Nation, Gila 'kasla...Hay ch q'a'.
