Hey there and hiya! Thank you for visiting the website and supporting small business. Smash Bang!es was the end result of a brainstorming session where I tried to convey my love of pop art, comics, and jewelry. Throughout my life, there have been several artists that truly speak to me, including but not limited to Frida Kahlo, Roy Lichtenstein, Yayoi Kusama, Carol Burnett, Julie Andrews, Frank Lloyd Wright, David Sedaris, Andy Warhol, Maya Angelou, Frank Miller, Dr. Seuss, Deb Karash, the good folks at Mad Magazine, Henri Mancini, Gilda Radner, John Williamson, John Williams, Tamara de Lempicka, Tim and Eric, John C. Reilly, Toulouse Lautrec, R. Crumb, Bette Midler, Monty Python and Jim Henson.

I’ve been making art in one form or another since I was about 3 years old. When I was in college, I studied music theater and voice at Oklahoma City University, then left for my version of Mecca in Second City’s Training Center in Chicago. It was in Chicago that I started improvisation, sketch writing, stage managing, and stand-up comedy. I toured the country (18 states and Canada) doing stand-up, living in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Finally I got burned out on road travel and moved back to Oklahoma where I went to work for oil and gas brokers and immediately went back on the road, but this time making some money. It was during this time that I began making jewelry at home as a hobby. My friends were my beta testers, putting my jewelry through every kind of wringer of which they could conceive. Rest assured, now all of my jewelry is “Elaine proof” so you should have no problem. (Should you have any problems, all of my work is guaranteed for life. There, my lawyers are sated.)

In 2017, I opened Smash Bangles in OKC’s Paseo District, your one-stop-shop for jewelry, gifts, and whimsy. It was teeny tiny, but I was so happy to be able to have my studio in my favorite neighborhood. It was here that I was not only able to work on my craft as a silversmith, but was able to do some meaningful outreach work with The Homeless Alliance of Oklahoma City. It was because of these projects that the Oklahoma Gazette recognized me as one of its Class of 2018’s Forty Under 40. That one gave me all the feels and I’m still very humbled and grateful for the honor. There’s one more aspect of my life that always gives me feely goods, and that’s my sweetie pie, Kale.

In 2011 I met a man who’s just as bizarre as I am and we have been inseparable ever since! He’s a chef and I love to cook, so together we stay well-fed and well-wined. For my first Christmas present, he spent hours making a composite piece of wall art featuring one of my all-time favorites, Dr. Steve Brule (Fer yer health!). That pretty much sealed the deal. When we moved to Santa Fe we built studio space for both of us in our gift shop so we can work side by side. We’re lucky to get such a great opportunity to work/play and live together in such a nurturing community. We LOVE Santa Fe!

We’re nestled in the middle some of the best shopping in Santa Fe (Curiosa, On Your Feet, Get It Together, Peruvian Connection, Chicos, Array, and Amore’s) and we’re very grateful for all the help they’ve given us. So if you’re looking for jewelry, gifts, and whimsy, come on down where Guadalupe Street District meets the Santa Fe Railyard and come say hi!