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Phoenix native Blair Anderson first discovered silver art in college. More than 20 years later, the craft has become a passion. In November, she began teaching classes at Glen Echo Park. Her solo show at the space she created, SilverWorks Studio & Gallery, continues through Feb. 6.

Jordan Edwards: Why did you stick with Silver? Why not try another metal like bronze or copper?

Blair Anderson: I've worked a little bit in copper and bronze. But there's something about the silver. It has its own personality. I was more attracted to it than the other metals.

JE: Is silver easier to work with?

BA: Actually, not really. I think it's a personal preference. Through the years, I have run into people who love working in gold, or they love working in silver. It's like if you're a dog person or a cat person. It's more along those lines.

JE: You work with turquoise and rose quartz. Do you like any other stones?

BA: I don't use a lot of turquoise normally. I use a lot of sugalite and semiprecious stones. I love amethyst. I don't use some of the higher-end precious stones like rubies and emeralds. They're just not as appealing to me. The colorful gem stones are what I gravitate to.

JE: Your husband Bryan calls your home in Silver Spring a "project house." What does he mean by that?

BA: (laughs) I love beautiful spaces. We took on a house that needed to be completely remodeled. It's a 1960s split level. My goal as an artist was to make everywhere you look a visual composition. Our house has multiple colors. I cast a concrete countertop in our kitchen. It's one big art project, basically.

JE: Your studio looks amazing. Is that almost as important as the art itself?

BA: Yeah. Actually, I have a really good friend that said one of my superpowers is creating inspiration spaces. I just love that because I think we all have some sort of superpower. I think the space helps you be more inspired. I spent a lot of time designing the space so it could be functional as well as beautiful.

JE: Why did you decide to have a solo show at SilverWorks?

BA: It's probably more to give people the idea that the work can be elevated to that level in a concept form, not just pretty things to wear. So it was my choice. It's to show students that you can get to that level. I also have a one-woman show in July that the park is giving me in their big Popcorn Gallery. That will be a similar thing, but much larger.

JE: You went to a Christian college. Is faith still important to you?

BA: Faith is very important to me. I'm not attending a particular church right now, but it's completely integrated into my work. You sort of live and breathe all the different pieces of your life and that's one component of me.

Check out the art of Blair Anderson through Feb. 6 at SilverWorks Studio & Gallery at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 301-634-5385 or visit silverworksglenechopark.com. Read the full story in the Scene section of Wednesday's Gazette.