Member Profile

Beth Millner is known for the nature inspired eco friendly jewelry that she produces in her studio above her Marquette, MI storefront.

Drawing her inspiration from the natural beauty of her Upper Peninsula surroundings, her signature designs include landscapes and shorelines, wildlife, and textures reflective of stone, wood and other natural materials. All of her work is executed from recycled materials, and often includes copper that is locally sourced from the former White Pine Mine in Ontonagon, MI. “I really love piercing and sawing intricate designs.” This is the hallmark of much of her work.

Beth first started metalsmithing in 2005 when she took her first course with Dale Wedig at Northern Michigan University while pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art. She has been metalsmithing ever since.

When asked for her favorite class ever she responded “ I really enjoyed the Springs and Mechanisms class I took with Nash Quinn, but a second one that was really great was a Mokume Gane workshop with Eric Burris.”

Her favorite piece is an articulated piece that is reflective of her love of wildlife. “ I made a piece called ‘Abundance’ that is a rotating pendant that has an opening that shows a rabbit running. It is inspired by early animation techniques used to make phenakistiscopes.”

Also known for her dedication to giving back to her community, as a regular part of her business she has established a fundraiser jewelry program which donates to many local organizations and charities. Each year she selects a non-profit organization located in the Upper Peninsula from a pool of applicants. Once the recipient is selected, Beth designs a custom silver pendant for each organization to be sold both online and in her store. For each fundraiser pendant sold, at least $50 is donated back to the organization. Shoppers can also elect to donate a larger amount with their purchase. To date, the fundraiser program has been able to give over $49,870 to a variety of local non-profits

Beth’s work, including the fundraiser pendants, can be found at her store at 521 W Washington St in Marquette, MI or online at www.bethmillner.com. “I have an awesome team at my store who helps with the running of the store and making jewelry, they are amazing and have allowed me to have the successes I have achieved with my jewelry.”

Beth lives with her partner Mike in a home that they rebuilt together in the woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They have two cats and share passions for music, art, and local food.

She has been a member of MSG for about 10 years.