Meet Our Founders
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SULO BEE (they/them/ze)
Co-Founder of Queer Metalsmiths
Sulo Bee is a creature maker and worldbuilder exploring themes of identity and queerness through alternate realms and temporal narratives. Their practice combines traditional metalsmithing techniques with experimental approaches like electroforming and alternative color application on metal. Bee holds an MFA in Studio Art from SUNY New Paltz and a BFA from Texas State University. They were selected for the 2022 Emerging Artist Cohort with American Craft Council and the GEMZ Talent Programme with Current Obsession. They are a co-founder of Queer Metalsmiths where they seek to uplift queer voices in metalsmithing and craft. Sulo has been awarded the Marzee Graduate Prize in 2022 which lead to a residency and exhibition. Their work has been exhibited at institutions such as the Museum of Art and Design, Contemporary Craft, Galerie Marzee, and R&Company. Their work has been featured in Objects USA: 2024 and Talente: Masters of the Future 2025 in Munich, Germany.
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Tracey Carswell (they/them)
Co-Founder of Queer Metalsmiths
Tracey Carswell is a queer non-binary curator, educator, and artist committed to fostering meaningful connections through community-building. They invest in the growth and success of women, femme, queer, trans and gender non-conforming leaders in the jewelry and craft industries.
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Sol Diaz (she/they)
Co-Founder of Queer Metalsmiths
Sol Diaz is a Latinx Trans/Non-binary New York based Metalsmith and Jeweler. They are the founder of @soeliastudio.
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Rebecca Lee (they/she)
Co-Founder of Queer Metalsmiths
Rebecca Lee is a photographer and jeweler interested in sacred adornment and its capacity to provide protection and healing for all intersections of marginalized people. Currently, lee works primarily with sheet metal, hand piercing intuitive undulating shapes that mimic how water impacts our coastlines incorporating minerals and found objects near or in bodies of water. They also utilize wax carving to create talismans featuring sigils and marks with specific and intentional magical purposes.