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Rockland, ME--Dana Ruth, a self-taught metalsmith and studio jeweler, has found her home in Rockland, where she operates from a studio space of just 200 square feet on 497 Main Street.

[Photo by Dana Ruth via penbaypilot.com]

According to a report, Ruth left Atlanta, where she lived for 22 years, during the pandemic and found her way to Maine, drawn by the winding roads and beauty of Acadia. Despite a successful life in Atlanta, she felt unfulfilled due to the fast-paced, stressful lifestyle and found solace in the calmness of Rockland.

Ruth was drawn to Rockland by the peace and pace she found there. She had always loved visiting the town and felt something special about it, even though she couldn't put her finger on what. One day, she came across a storefront on Main Street and decided to set up her tiny flagship store there, despite never imagining that she would make a move from Atlanta. As she recalls in the report, the road trip was an epic experience, but Maine stayed with her even after she left and became her new home.

After 16 years of operating in Atlanta, Ruth now has enough room for a jewelry counter, a narrow workspace, and a small sink — a space which she calls 'Modern Metalsmith'. The store is filled with various tools and supplies, occupying the limited worktables. The basement, accessible via wonky stairs, serves as an even smaller workshop where she creates all her handcrafted jewelry and performs repairs.

"I make small-batch handcrafted pieces; I don't work with platinum and diamonds," she said, per the report.

Learn more about Ruth's story and her store in the entire report.