Heavy Metal

Q: Tell us about how your business came to be.

A: I was working as a wardrobe stylist in Nashville, and a lot of my clients were celebrities who wanted editorial-style jewelry. I wasn’t happy with what I was finding in stores, so I decided to design and make it myself. At 31 years old, I became the youngest member of the senior citizen center (because they were the only people around teaching [silversmithing]). That led to taking classes through Vanderbilt’s art center, and the more I learned, the more I loved it.

Q: Where do you see your pieces fitting into the local jewelry scene?

A: Our community has plenty of beautiful boutique jewelry, but there’s not much in the middle—wearable every day but still well-made. Hardwear Merry fills that gap: small-batch, accessible but premium, with a little edge. Merry Beth Myrick Designs is the other half—hand-forged fine jewelry in silver, bronze, and gold-fill for people who want jewelry with more weight and story.

Photo by Savvibelle Photography

Q: How would you describe your own personal style, and how does it show up in your designs?

A: Timeless but a little rebellious. I’m drawn to natural fibers and quality pieces that feel effortless. That’s exactly what I chase in my designs: higher-caliber pieces that feel easy to throw on but are never boring.

Myrick polishes a peace sign pendant. (Photo by Savvibelle Photography)

Q: What’s your favorite piece you’ve created so far?

A: Probably a ring I designed to remind me of my roots. The band was created to look like the center part of a leaf, mimicking a feather. The top of the ring is the texture of tree bark with an intention in it that feels like you’re rubbing a worry stone.

This tree-inspired ring is Myrick’s favorite piece to date. (Photo courtesy of Merry Beth Myrick)

I was obsessed with a tree in the yard of my childhood home. I was always in that tree. My mom always stood in the kitchen, staring out the window watching me play and rubbing a worry stone. This ring encompasses my family, the safeness that I felt as a child, and serves as a reminder of who I am and why. 

Adorn yourself

You can find Myrick’s designs at Indigo in Watercolor, The Zoo Gallery, Allison Wickey Gallery, and online at wearmerry.com.