Today we’d like to introduce you to Renata Peter.
Hi Renata, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve enjoyed working with my hands and making things as long as I’ve been alive – building projects in my parents’ backyard or picking up a new craft every few months and going completely in. That’s how I got into working with metal and making jewelry, too – just an idea that I decided to follow through on. Except this time, I feel completely in love.
I started Valley Girl Metals this past summer after spending the previous year learning and absorbing everything I could about metalsmithing. I don’t come from a traditional art or jewelry background; I just like to tinker. I read “The Complete Metalsmith” by Tim McCreight, watched Rio Grande instructional videos, and spent far too many hours on YouTube. I even took a few workshops to learn some fundamentals after I melted my first silver order. I spent months practicing, messing things up, and slowly getting better. What started as a hobby turned into people asking me to make custom pieces for them, which turned into a business.
Valley Girl Metals came from wanting to make jewelry that wasn’t mass-produced or trendy for five minutes and designed to be thrown away. Just solid handmade pieces that you could hold onto. I fell in love with metalsmithing because it connects you to a long line of makers. These techniques have been used for hundreds of years and passed down. Keeping that alive feels important to me, especially in a world where everything is getting faster, cheaper, and more disposable.
I’m still growing, still learning, and still doing everything myself at my bench. But that’s the whole point of my brand: small-batch, hands-on, and personal. My jewelry studio is in a loft above a motorcycle shop in Van Nuys, and I’ve recently started making some custom jewelry-type pieces for motorcycles, too.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but that’s kind of expected when you’re learning a craft from scratch. Metalsmithing is one of those things where you only get better by doing it wrong a hundred times first. I’ve melted pieces, ruined orders, and had days where nothing I touched worked the way it was supposed to.
There’s also the business side, which is a completely different skill set. Learning how to price my work, manage an online shop, buy materials in a smart way, and keep everything organized has taken time. Luckily, I enjoy being a beginner and I do have a background in digital marketing and those skills have been transferable.
What’s helped is accepting that growth is slow and that I’m not supposed to have it all figured out yet. I’m still learning new techniques, still upgrading my tools, and still finding my rhythm. When I’m working, I feel so in the flow that all the struggle is worth it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make handmade jewelry, mostly rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and everyday pieces that are meant to be worn often. I work primarily in sterling and fine silver and gold, and I build everything by hand – no mass production, just traditional metalsmithing techniques and a lot of time at the bench. I recently branched into making some custom pieces for motorcycles; I made my partner custom turquoise license plate bolts for his Harley. I’ve also made a few every day objects; big safety pins and lighter holders. I have more ideas than I have time for most days.
I’m proud that I’ve built this from nothing but curiosity and stubbornness. I’m also proud that my work is small-batch and personal. If someone buys something from me, I made it start to finish, from sawing the metal to polishing the final piece. I really enjoy making custom pieces and making my clients’ vision come to life.
What sets me apart is that I’m deeply involved in the craft itself. I’m not removed from the making or trying to scale fast – I’m in the shop every day, fabricating each piece by hand. That keeps the work personal.
The name Valley Girl Metals comes from that same place of authenticity. I was born in Romania, I am ethnically Hungarian, and then I moved to the U.S., where I was an outsider again. During COVID, I moved to Hungary and was seen mainly as American. I never fully fit anywhere until I found identity in the Valley. It’s a place where nearly half the people are immigrants, and for the first time, I didn’t feel like being ‘from somewhere else’ mattered. I grew up here and found my craft here, so naming my business Valley Girl Metals felt right.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along the way is to stay consistent because nothing replaces time spent at the bench for learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.valleygirlmetals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valleygirlmetals/
