46 and Feeling It

Courtney Gray
May 18
4 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

This week I turned 46.

Instead of chasing the next idea, I paused—long enough to trace the path behind me and realize it’s been one hell of a road.

So while sitting in my recliner on the patio I wrote a loose CV…To celebrate me.

Because honestly? I’ve lived some lives. And changed some lives. And I’m just getting warmed up.

My son and his girlfriend just moved back to Austin—they're about 19 years old—and it got me thinking back on my own journey.

How it’s never a straight line. How finding your way as a creative doesn’t always follow a map it requires movement and commitment.

So here’s the tightened version. With some grit, some magic, and maybe a laugh or two.

At 17 (1995), I was slicing artisan bread at Whole Foods in Houston. One day, while handing a picky customer a loaf, I thought:

“What am I doing with my time... I need to use my hands. I need to make something. I need to learn something real.”

My stepfather joked, “Well, we could send you to welding school…”

And I said—actually, yes.

So I left customer service behind. Jumped into construction. Then joined the sheet metal union, hanging air ducts in Houston high-rises. Only girl on the crew. Again.

By 19, I’d moved to Austin to study welding and blacksmithing. I learned to:

Use a power hammer
Forge, form, and finish metal
Make tools from scratch
MIG, TIG, and oxy-fuel weld
And hold my own in a sea of men named Mike

I glazed ceramics. Dabbled in glass. Took a job wrapping jewelry for a luxury brand. ( had that kind of sweat shop feel to it...)

Then I landed at their casting company—because I could use a torch. Gold. Silver. Fire. It felt like home. But I knew:

“I will never be all-in on someone else’s dream.”

So I started Hard Court Designs (named after my high school nickname—because, well, I was spirited).

In 2003, I got accepted into a welding exchange program in Koblenz, Germany called the Handverkskammer (aka Hand working chamber). Spent 8 months abroad. Earned 6 certifications. Traveled Europe solo with a backpack and more courage than language skills.

Came home. Fell in love. Restarted my jewelry business.

And built something bigger: A shared studio for artists called Creative Side

2006 — My first son, Marcello, was born. I married Peter. Creative Side was scrappy, vibrant, and full of possibility.

2007–2008 — Transitioned to Courtney Gray Arts - for my custom design. Creative Side became a full-on art academy. We taught:

The Artist’s Way
Jewelry making
Found object sculpture
Printmaking, painting, and more

Eventually, we focused the academy on jewelry. Our benches were full. Our classes sold out.

👶 2010 — My second son, Tristan, was born. In a birthing tub -no drugs. In the kitchen. (Of course.)

2011 — I started a band: Suburban Beat with Peter. We played every Friday night. And now every first Saturday. Our lyrics were honest. Our harmonies were optional.

Meanwhile, Creative Side kept growing. We launched new classes:

Soldering
Casting
Advanced fabrication
Stone setting

And we started Forged Together—where couples made their own wedding rings. (Yes, we had proposals at the studio.)

2012 — We scaled big:

Bought out Jewelry Studies International
Merged Equipment
Took over a 26-bench facility
Grew from 600 students a year to over 6,000
Hired powerhouse instructors
Hosted immersive workshops
Launched a kids’ program
Offered custom design and consulting

We became internationally recognized.

2017 — I opened a second location: Creative Side Metal Works. Welding, bronze casting, blacksmithing. It was loud, sooty and wild. I ran it for 4 years—then sold it.

Because sometimes, letting go is the strategy.

Along the way, I served:

On SNAG’s Education Dialogue Committee (2014–2021)
On Rio Grande’s Advisory Board (2018–2019)
On Bead & Button’s Editorial Board (2015–2018)

2019 — Sold Creative Side entirely. Hardest decision. Best move.

2020 — Produced For the Love of Jewelers with Rio Grande.4 seasons. 30+ episodes. Real conversations. I also started coaching creatives full-time.

🎧 2024 — Launched The Jeweler’s View. My voice. My stories. Our industry. 28 episodes (so far). No gatekeeping.

Then I had the thought:

“What if someone built a course to help makers turn their creative side into a real business—like I did?”

🚀 2025 — I launched Transform: Your Jewelry Business from Vision to Success. A 6-week immersive course. Not just strategy. Everything I wish I had when I started.

So yeah.

I’m 46. And I’m just getting started.