Who Are We?
The question “What is in a name?” has been asked for centuries.For me, the answer is: everything.
I chose the name Truly Kindred because it captures the quiet truth I’ve discovered again and again—authentic art resonates because it calls to something already living inside us. When a painting stops you in your tracks, when a song feels like it was written for the life you’ve lived, when a scent pulls a forgotten memory to the surface… it is because something in that moment mirrors something true within you.
Those threads of truth—delicate, ancient, and deeply human—are what bind us to one another. They remind us that beneath our differences, we are all asking the same questions
As an artist and self-taught goldsmith, I return to these questions every time I sit down at the bench. My work is slow, intentional, and rooted in my belief that art—especially in a world as fractured as ours—is a necessary form of connection. Each heirloom I create is shaped by hand, built to last for generations, and made with intention and care: for the materials, for the earth, and for the stories they will hold.
"I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art." —Helena Bonham Carter
Truly Kindred was started by Elisa McLaughlin in 2015. She is a goldsmith and artist of many mediums, avid lover of nature, and adventure seeker. She educates her five children at home in Vancouver, WA and also makes goods that promote beauty, creativity, and community.