Co-Owner and Lead Metalsmith

As early as I can remember, I enjoyed creative endeavors starting with crafting gifts at home, taking classes at the Wustum Museum, and art classes in junior high and high school. I never thought my high school job would lead me down the path of having my own shop and crew. I was fortunate to have many mentors throughout the years including Nancy Williams, Lyle Peters, and Lore Sydnor who encouraged and exposed me to the world of art, jewelry, and business.

I received a BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design while working at VSO Ltd. and focused almost exclusively on jewelry making after graduation. I was also an adult jewelry making instructor at the Wustum Museum.

We opened our retail shop in 2004 after 20 years of working Downtown Racine. Besides designing and making jewelry and working with the traditional Japanese metalsmithing technique of Mokume-Gane, I enjoy gardening, collecting rocks, minerals and gemstones, and most recently, exploring the world of bonsai.

Co-Owner and Business Manager

Stephanie is a life-long Racinian, who graduated from University of Wisconsin–Parkside and has worked in the downtown area most of her career. She met Chris while in college, and has supported his creativity while expanding her professional expertise of education.

Stephanie is the "behind the scenes" individual taking care of the details of the business while ensuring customer satisfaction and employee dedication. Stephanie and Chris opened Art Metals Studio in 2004 in Downtown Racine.    

Store Manager
Accredited Jewelry Professional (GIA)  

Wow, I can’t believe I’ve been in the jewelry industry for over 35 years!

I was very fortunate to spend a great deal of that time working with Lenore Sydnor at VSO Ltd. Lenore taught by example. Her honest integrity and strong work ethic are goals I strive for every day. The last 15 years at Art Metals Studio have been an absolute joy! How many people get to go to work every day and be surrounded by beauty and work with people you truly love?

My passion in life is anything to do with the outdoors. As a master gardener I’m inspired by nature’s abundance. I get that same inspiration from our creative talented staff, true artisans. Whether our staff is recreating nature’s beauty through organic design, using natural stones or Chris’s Mokume-Gane creations with their layered individual wood grain patterns, their craftsmanship makes it so easy to help you find the perfect gift.

I love building relationships. Our clients become friends whom we help to create memories celebrating their lives.

Customer Consultant

My interest and obsession with working with metals started at Case High School here in Racine in a beginning art metals class with Nancy Williams. Through her mentorship I cemented my plan to teach art as a profession and soon enrolled at U.W. Madison, earning my bachelors degree in art education.

I taught briefly in the Chicago area, and took a long detour into the music industry. Returning to Racine, I taught at Gilmore Middle School for 11 years, earned my masters at teaching, and landed my dream job teaching primarily art metals at Park High School, remaining there for 14 years.

Retiring from teaching I found that I missed the camaraderie of working with other artists. Chris and Steph Sklba offered me the chance to work at AMS a few years ago and I was thrilled to accept. My work here is assisting customers, introducing them to the amazing variety of beautiful original designs Chris creates.

Behind the scenes, I help with whatever needs to be done to make sure the metalsmiths can do their creative work.

Customer Consultant    

A year ago, I started working here with little to no knowledge of jewelry. The amount I have learned within such a short time is truly amazing. I have grown to love this art and have so much respect for jewelers. The amount of time put into each piece is outstanding.

Outside of the jewelry world, I attend Union Grove High School and will be graduating in May of 2020. After high school I plan on pursuing a degree in Business Management and Cosmetology. Seeing what it really takes to own a business and the amount of patience one can gain, gives me fellow coworkers enough for the amount of support they have given me.

I was welcomed with nurturing arms and immediate acceptance when joining the Art Metals family. I am grateful and honored to be a part of such a wonderful group of individuals.

Metalsmith/Associate

My interest in metalsmithing started in high school art metals classes. I took every class I could, and by my junior year I was lucky enough to have Michele Ulinski as a teacher. She encouraged my creativity, then recommended I apply at the newly opened Art Metals Studio. I couldn’t have asked for a better environment to grow up learning this trade, and am very excited to see what the future has in store.

Metalsmith/Associate

I feel like I practically grew up at 332 Main Street. I found metalsmithing in high school at the age of 15, caught the jewelry bug right away and enrolled in a Wustum Museum art metals class taught by Christopher Sklba. Chris recommended that I apply for a bench-jeweler position with Lenore Sydnor at VSO Ltd. and just like that my professional metalsmithing career had begun.

The VSO staff quickly became more like family than co-workers and my craftsmanship and artistry were built up in an incredibly supportive environment. I was lucky enough to go on to study Studio and Fine Arts in college (at both UW Madison and UW Parkside) and when Chris and Steph took over the 332 Main space to open up their own shop, I was happy to join them on their journey as Art Metals Studio.

Now 15 years later, what began as an after-school job has blossomed into one of the most creative and fulfilling careers I could have imagined.