Mia Kaplan makes jewelry, sculpture, utensils, and other objects. She grew up in North Carolina and is currently living in Philadelphia. She received a BA in Studio Art at Earlham College in 2018. One highlight of her professional experience includes completing the Core Fellowship at the Penland School of Craft. Mia currently works as the Production Specialist and Bench Jeweler at Emily Chelsea Jewelry and holds personal studio space in Night Shift Studio. She exhibits her work nationally and also teaches at craft schools around the country.

Artist Statement

My artistic practice is driven by a love of craft and tactility where I explore recognizable objects and symbols through a fantastical lens. I create toy-like jewelry and sculpture that engages nostalgia and recontextualizes my childhood narratives. As a kid, I collected many objects, human-made and natural, and imbued them with power and mythology. I continue to bring enchantment into my adult life by creating these wearable and interactive sculptures and pieces of jewelry. Adorning oneself with this work is a uniquely personal and exploratory experience. Crafted in a bright palette of metals in their natural colors, this work uses miniature scale to enhance the feeling of wonder and delight. The narrative of each piece is individual to the viewer or wearer’s engagement, and its intention is to bring you nostalgic enjoyment that resonates into the present.