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Handcrafted Tinwork in Santa Fe
Welcome to Homekeep Studio. I’m Michella Wempen, the maker behind every piece you see here.
I work in tin. Everything is hand punched and shaped one at a time in my Santa Fe studio.
No production lines, no outsourcing. Just me, the metal, and the process.
Tinwork has deep roots in New Mexico. You see it in homes, churches, and everyday objects that have been part of life here for generations.
When I found this craft, it felt familiar in a way I didn’t expect. Not just visually, but in how it’s made. Slow, repetitive, physical. There’s a rhythm to it. You’re working with the material, not forcing it.
That’s what kept me here.
Homekeep Studio grew out of that connection. I’m not trying to recreate historical pieces. I’m making work that belongs in a home now, while still carrying where it comes from.
I’m Mexican American, with roots that connect across the Southwest and into Spanish influence.
That background shapes how I see pattern, material, and object making, but I did not grow up practicing tinwork.
I came to hojalata through my own exploration of the craft here in New Mexico.
This work sits in that space. Informed by what came before, but not claiming to be a continuation of any one lineage.
Every piece starts as a flat metal and becomes form through hand work. Punching, shaping, refining. The patterns come from repititon and pressure, not machines.
I use metal flashing because it does what I need it to do. It’s workable, durable, and holds detail well. Traditional tinwork has always used what was available. This is my version of that.
Most pieces are made to order. When you place an order, I’m making it for you. Not pulling it from a shelf.
The surface will shift. It will patina, pick up marks, and soften in tone. That’s part of the material, not something going wrong.
These are objects meant to live in a space, not stay fixed.
The forms are evolving.
Some pieces hold light. Some sit on the wall. Some are still taking shape.
I’m not trying to define it too tightly. I’m making what feels right in the material and seeing where it goes.
The work is rooted in tradition, but it isn’t about keeping it fixed. It’s about continuing it in a way that makes sense now.
Everything you see here was made by me.
That matters to me, and it’s part of what you’re bringing into your space.
Thanks for being here.
Michella