In Rockport, where art is already woven into the fabric of community life, Moon Over Water Gallery co-owners Kimmi Norvell Moake and Danya De Leon are creating a hands-on experience that helps the community connect with itself through art. The pair are expanding their creative space to include a dedicated silversmithing school, Silver Linings Studios.
The idea grew from their longtime dream of sharing their passion for silversmithing with others, building on their ongoing desire to connect with Rockport’s vibrant local art community. The dream became a reality after receiving a grant through Texas Woman’s University’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs.
“It feels right to teach other people to do this work and to inspire [other artists]. That’s really what Kimmi and I both want to keep building on; to create more of that [inspiration] because art heals,” De Leon said.
For De Leon, the school is the culmination of a personal artistic journey. She began making jewelry when her son was a baby, stringing gemstones onto silk, but eventually sought something deeper. She apprenticed with local silversmith legend Diane Johnson, working alongside other women and learning the hands-on traditions of the art form. That experience eventually grew into the group now known as the “women of the Silver Meltdown,” a community of silversmiths who continue to work together and help produce the annual Silver Meltdown event at the Rockport Center for the Arts.
Now De Leon wants to pass that knowledge forward. The art form’s emphasis on creating with the hands is central to the school’s vision. Students can take day classes and leave with something they made; however, the school is set up to support silversmithing and metalsmithing in every way.
De Leon and Moake also envision the school as a gathering place for working artists. De Leon hopes to bring other jewelers into the space to teach workshops, while learning from them herself.
“The teacher is always a student,” De Leon said. In that sense, the school reflects a larger philosophy shared by both women: Art should not be reserved for people who already consider themselves artists. The pair regularly encounter people who insist they are “not artsy,” only to discover what they can make once they try. Moake puts it simply, “Redefine your version of creativity, because everyone has it.”
The discovery can be transformative. Moake has watched students move from “I don’t know” at the beginning of a class to “Look what I made” by the end. That transformation, along with the opportunity to support working artists and introduce more people to making, may be the school’s greatest purpose.
Contact: 302 S. Austin St., Rockport | 361.405.0545 | moonoverwatergallery.com
