Taylor is a full-time metalsmith in St. Louis, Missouri. She began creating jewelry in 2003 as "The Rare Bird", transitioning from beadwork to wire work. Entirely self-taught, she now builds her jewelry by hand from precious metals and gemstones, and preserves organic flora in sterling silver using lost wax casting techniques. She has been featured in Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Easy Wire Magazine, and ArtJewlery Magazine and frequently teaches virtual jewelry-making workshops.

As a woman of mixed ancestry (54% European and 48% African), Taylor often struggles to articulate where she fits in society. Working through silver, stone, and beads, she is discovering who she is in a tangible way. Whether casting organic botanicals to reflect Victorian floriography or weaving and stringing African trade beads, her pieces bridge the divide across her cultural identity. She believes metalsmithing is a type of modern folklore; a means to refine her voice and narrative through the stories conveyed in each piece of jewelry.

Follow her processes on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/taylorsaleem.