Miller Designs, Gail Miller

Miller Designs was established by Gail Barker Miller in 1990 when she decided that commuting to the mainland to work was more than she could handle with two small children. Her tenure at Heritage Lanterns in Yarmouth, Maine gave her the metalsmith training and her interest in arts and crafts gave her the ideas to start creating beautiful barrettes. Since then, Miller Designs has expanded its collection to include pins, earrings, bracelets and many other treasures. Gail Miller's unique studio is located in her home on Chebeague Island, Maine.

David, her lobsterman husband, pitches in to help as soon as his traps and boat are ashore in the fall. Other island artisans help out in the busy season. These beautiful treasures are created in copper, brass and nickel making them both wonderfully exciting and truly affordable. Each piece starts with cutting the sheet metal to rough size. Then the die is chosen, the metal piece inserted, and all are placed in a hydraulic press. The piece is then trimmed, filed, formed and soldered. After polishing, cleaning and packaging, the finished item goes to market.

Folklore holds that a piece of beach glass was a tear shed by a mermaid for a lost sailor.

Earrings and Company has more of Miller Designs jewelry available at our Freeport Maine jewelry store.