October Creative Arts Grant Awarded to Kate McFadden Designs

Congratulations to Kate McFadden, Founder of Kate McFadden Designs for being the WomensNet $10,000 October Business Specific Grant recipient in the category of “Creative Arts”.

Kate’s approach to jewelry design melds precision and artistry with personal connection and dreams. Here’s part of her story:

After running a jewelry shop for 11 years with a former partner, Kate McFadden has forged ahead with her own custom jewelry business—Kate McFadden Designs.

A self-taught CAD/CAM designer, Kate says that “beyond the gratification of the design process, what I’ve come to cherish most is the opportunity to connect with others. I take pride in hearing the dreams and stories that inspire the pieces my clients entrust me to create,” she says. “Custom jewelry offers an outlet to self-expression that also becomes an heirloom; a way to pass a person’s story down through generations.”

“Some of my favorite projects have been born when I was asked to create new pieces from beloved heirlooms, breathing fresh life and meaning into sentimental pieces that were otherwise tucked away in boxes,” she says. As part of her business, she says, “Not only do I
seek to build an inclusive firm that does not discriminate. I intend to instate environmentally conscious practices. I work with goldsmiths who will use recycled metals. I repurpose stones and use lab-created precious stones.”

“As a queer, autistic, single mother…I’m proud to have started a business from my unique and authentic perspective, that I know will provide inclusion and visibility for so many,” Kate says.