Today we’d like to introduce you to Camille Moore.
Hi Camille, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Like many people, my path has been anything but linear. I started making jewelry while I was on TDY in the military as a way to keep myself busy outside of work. What began as a creative outlet quickly turned into something I loved, and before long I launched Rebel + Ruse. I began with wire wrapping, then cold connection with mixed metals, and eventually found my way to silver. I fell in love.
A few years after launching Rebel + Ruse, I started graduate school to become a therapist. For a while, I was building Rebel + Ruse while earning my counseling degree, and both became important parts of my identity. Along the way, I was fortunate enough to have my jewelry carried in several local St. Louis boutiques, participate in pop-up markets and editorial photo shoots, and be featured in publications and media. Those opportunities were incredibly affirming, but more importantly, they connected me with a community of artists, makers, and customers who valued handmade work. Although my focus eventually shifted toward my career as a therapist, I never stopped making jewelry. Today I primarily take on custom commissions which allows me to stay connected to the craft while balancing clinical work and other artistic endeavors.
Becoming a therapist has changed the way I create. I spend my days listening to people’s stories and thinking about what gives life meaning, and that inevitably finds its way into my work at the bench. I’m drawn to creating pieces that feel personal—something that reflects the person wearing it and becomes part of their story for years to come. Today, I split my time living and working between St. Louis, Missouri and Denver, Colorado, and both communities continue to shape and inspire my creative practice. Rebel + Ruse may look different than it did when I first started it, but it’s still rooted in the same idea: making thoughtful, handcrafted jewelry..
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The creative process inherently involves struggle, and experimentation creates opportunities to identify problems, work through them, and discover unexpected solutions. The way I approach jewelry reflects the way I approach life: plan as well as I can, embrace setbacks when they arise, solve the problems in front of me, and reflect on what I’ve learned along the way.
In the beginning, the challenge was learning how to build a brand and become comfortable with the business side of things (what artist enjoys that?). The question I kept asking myself was, can I do this? Later, as my career as a therapist grew alongside Rebel & Ruse, the question shifted to, how can I manage this? I’m grateful for everything those experiences taught me—not just about running a business, but about my own capacity and what genuinely interests me. These days, the biggest question I ask myself is no longer whether I can do something. It’s simply: is this a project I want to work on?
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work primarily in sterling silver, creating one-of-a-kind pieces that are meant to be worn and lived in. One of my favorite parts of making jewelry is seeing someone wearing a piece years later. There’s something incredibly rewarding about knowing an object you made has become part of someone’s everyday life.
I’m also drawn to the technical side of metalsmithing. It’s a craft that constantly asks you to adapt. Metal moves in ways you don’t expect, stones break, solder flows where it shouldn’t, and you’re always learning to bend, pivot, and solve problems along the way. I enjoy that challenge as much as I enjoy the finished piece.
I’ve always been fascinated by adornment and the ways we choose to present ourselves to the world. The jewelry we wear communicates something about who we are, what we value, or what we’ve experienced. It’s an honor to create something that another person chooses to wear on their body, especially when it marks something meaningful. Some of the pieces I’m proudest of have been made to celebrate a marriage, remember a loved one, or commemorate an important moment in someone’s life.
What sets my work apart is probably the perspective I bring to it. As a therapist, I spend my days listening to people’s stories, and I think that has made me appreciate the meaning people attach to objects. Jewelry can become part of a person’s history, and I never take for granted the trust involved in creating something that may be worn for decades.
What’s next?
I’m enjoying letting Rebel + Ruse evolve alongside me rather than trying to force it in a particular direction. I plan to continue creating jewelry, especially pieces that allow me to experiment with new techniques and push my skills as a metalsmith. There are still so many processes I want to learn and ideas I want to explore.
I’m currently immersed in a photography workshop which will culminate in my first student group exhibition this January. It’s been refreshing to be a beginner again. I’m enjoying making mistakes, developing a new way of seeing. Every creative practice informs the others, and photography has already started influencing how I think about composition, texture, light, and storytelling.
More than anything, I hope to keep building a life where creativity remains an essential part of it. Whether I’m at the jeweler’s bench, behind a camera, or in the therapy room, I’m happiest when I’m paying close attention to the world and continuing to learn.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rebelandruse.com
- Instagram: @rebelandruse
