Instagram story viewer> @cloudpeakstudio> Posts

Cloud Peak Studio || Ian Barwell

@cloudpeakstudio

834

followers

739

following

Small batch lapidary & silver
Slow-made in the mountains of Wyoming
Skier • Biker • Stone Cutter • Metalsmith
⬇️ Online Shop ⬇️

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Hello from Jackson Hole, and thanks for following Cloud Peak Studio.

I didn’t know what lapidary was before my partner (@foxandlupinejewelry) began silversmithing. After years of watching her create and evolve —always searching for the right stones to set in her work — I started investigating the world of stone cutting myself. Lapidary was a new term to me, but once I discovered the art, it was hard not to dive all in (if you know me, this tracks!)

Since then, I’ve been learning the craft piece by piece: forging relationships with collectors and miners, gathering the right tools, cutting stones, and sharing them with a small circle of local silversmiths. Now it’s time to stretch a little wider.

Enter Cloud Peak Studio—small-batch lapidary and silver work, slow-made in the mountains of Wyoming.

I’m a skier, a mountain biker, a long-time Jackson Hole local. And now, a lapidary artist. taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

130

32

a year ago

66

19

3 months ago

From rough to ready.

It starts with a raw stone from the earth—uneven, jagged, still carrying the dust of the mountain. From there, it’s all about patience: cutting it open, finding the shape, grinding, sanding, polishing. Step by step, the color and character come alive.

The end result is a cabochon—smooth, strong, and ready for a silversmith’s hands. That’s where it takes its final form, becoming part of a piece of jewelry built to last.

Slow work. Mountain work. Cloud Peak work.

(I did speed it up for you here… 😉) taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

92

21

a year ago

Paloma Variscite - dropping to my website (link in bio) this Thursday, Oct 1st at 11am MDT!

Minty, creamy, webby Paloma Variscite 😍 These nuggets were a blast to work with, and provided some fun challenges. I wanted to keep much of their original character so I couldn’t trim or grind too much off. Some I could get calibrated shapes out of, many were left in their fun, organic shape. I tried to blend a polished dome with that awesome black webbing that only runs so deep - it was a fine line, but I really think they came out exactly how I envisioned. These have been real crowd pleasers and I hope you love this edition as much as I do.

Zachary treated and backed for stability and color retention over time.

See you Thursday!

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #cabochonsforsale #palomavariscite taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

27

6

a day ago

(NFS) These beauties found a home before I had a chance to list them, but I thought they deserved a spot on the grid!

Natural, untreated, Ithaca Peak - rough purchased miner direct from the Colbaughs.

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #cabochonsforsale #ithacapeakturquoise taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

69

12

9 days ago

Coming soon: Paloma Variscite.

Delicious little creamy green nuggets with black webbing gifted to us from the Sonoran Mountains in Mexico! I love this material so much, and they have been a hit with a few makers I’ve done customs for - I’m excited to make these available to everyone very soon!

Details forthcoming, so stay tuned.

Wishing you all the best ☺️

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #cabochonsforsale #palomavariscite taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

79

24

11 days ago

Cloud Peak Studio is 1 year old!

A lot of you know what it takes to make the leap from making stuff to owning and running a small business. The last year has been a whirlwind - setting up an IG, ramping up scale, figuring out pricing, setting up an LLC, trademark, logos, revamping my studio for efficiency and comfort over long days, buying turquoise in bulk, Tucson, building a website, markets, the algorithm- god, the algorithm 😂, etc etc etc. It has all been a challenge at every step. It’s been all the emotions - and I’m a feeler, and I’ve loved it, I feel truly alive - if not a bit exhausted.

The absolute best thing has been connecting with all of you. You have made all of this worth it. Thank you to this community for welcoming me, supporting me when I’ve needed it the most, and showing me that collaboration is ALWAYS better than competition. It’s been a true joy. Thanks for all the likes, reposts, shares, kind words in the comments, website visits, drops you’ve attended, follows, purchases, photos of completed jewelry with CPK cabs in them (I LOVE those), all of it. And thanks for your friendship. I’m truly honored and humbled.

And, of course, thank you to @foxandlupinejewelry for being by my side through all of it. I literally couldn’t have done this without you. 🥰

So, here’s to many more years of CPK, I’m so excited for what’s to come, and proud of what’s happened in this last year.

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #smallbusinessanniversary #gratitude taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

165

104

13 days ago

Mini Shop Update (link in bio)!
Sleeping Beauty, Godber Burnham; and Ma’anshan turquoise cabs. The polish on these are - truly - ✨✨✨✨

I’ve been busy this week with a few customs, so just a wee shop update.

Whenever I get a new shipment of turquoise rough in, I like to cut a cab or two to play with the new toys - haha. These lots came in late last week and I love them so much - I hope y’all do too!

Thanks for stopping by ☺️

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #cabochonsforsale #turquoisecabochons taken in Jackson, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

34

8

13 days ago

A couple custom orders headed out tomorrow! These were fun projects from two makers who wanted earrings pairs ☺️.

Tomorrow I’m back to cutting for some upcoming site updates - Paloma and Sonoran Gold nuggets 😍

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #customcabochons #cabochonsforsale taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

60

8

14 days ago

Ma’anshan turquoise - is it the blues, the greens, the yellows, the malted/mocha matrix, or the polish? For me, the answer is yes 😍.

Most turquoise mined in China is associated with the Hubei Province, this is my first time working with Ma’anshan turquoise and I’m obsessed!

The Ma’anshan area is in eastern China, in Anhui Province, along the Yangtze River just southwest of Nanjing - about 500 miles from the turquoise producing region in Hubei.

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #maanshanturquoise #turquoisecabochonsforsale taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

43

6

15 days ago

Working on a bunch of custom earring pairs makes me realize I need more of these!

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #earringpairs #cabochonsforsale

What do you think - do y’all need more pairs? taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

50

12

16 days ago

*Shop Update* Kingman Hardy Pit (plus one old stock Kingman) Cabs!

This material is as fun to cut as it is to look at! The shine these take is truly exceptional ✨✨✨

Find them in my shop - link in bio - and look under Arizona Turquoise, All Turquoise, or All Cabochons

Thank you ☺️

As always, each stone is cut by hand here in my studio in the mountains of Wyoming.

#Wyomingartist #cloudpeakstudio #smallbatchlapidary #cabochonsforsale #kingmanturquoise taken in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by @cloudpeakstudio

49

4

18 days ago