Nashville Picks

Dustin Michael Headrick: Being born and raised in the Nashville music industry, I had always known about the concept of Picksmithing, an American folk art partially lost in decades past due to the mass manufacturing of imported plastics. In the late 1800's, contemporary stringed instrumentalists began using plectrums made from horn, bone and metals to increase volume and effect tone, and this tradition continued throughout the following century. I personally began experimenting with the creation of plectrums utilizing various materials for my own music nearly 20 years ago. This unique style of mixed-media art has led me to become extremely experimental and proficient in multiple crafts such as metalsmithing, woodcarving/turning, ceramics, pouring, jeweling, stonecraft, upcycling and material sourcing. My beloved hobby eventually became a professional venture shortly after its inception due to the ever-increasing demand from my customers which currently includes the US Mint and other branches of the US federal government, state parks and facilities, museums, tourism centers and artisan boutiques from around the world. One of my greatest focuses continues to remain with the guilds and juried art events that I regularly attend; these events allow me to connect directly with customers on an individual basis. I am currently a member of 5 prestigious artisan guilds and present my craft at 20 established art events annually, each with attendances ranging from 50,000 to 1 million patrons per event.