Preserving Tradition

For more than a decade, my work has been defined by two words: Preserving Tradition. And while that has often shown itself in the objects I make, it isn’t confined to it. To us, preserving tradition is stewardship. It’s the act of reclaiming wisdom and skills lost to time and adapting them into our daily lives. It is the constant refining of our faith, our family, and our work into a rightly ordered life.

The Heritage of the Craft

In 2014, I didn’t realize I was starting this endeavor by putting out an instagram post. We offered to make custom Southwest jewelry for a limited time and the response was so surprising that we decided to lean in and make a go of it. Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was living in Nashville at the time—pursuing music, doing photography and video work on the side. I never expected I would become a full time silversmith.

Years earlier, my father, also a silversmith, passed down his knowledge of the craft. We would later discover that metalsmithing played a prominent role in our family heritage; we are descendants of the “Sena Blacksmithing Dynasty,” who were instrumental in teaching the Navajo how to work metal during the 1800s.

The Foundation of Faith

The early days were spent working out of the basement of the home where my wife, Bree, and I lived. Following a divine encounter that led me to realign my life with my Christian faith, we decided to move back home to Albuquerque to plant our roots.

In 2020, we were unexpectedly thrust into the cultural spotlight. We became the target of a "cancel" campaign after refusing to post a black square in solidarity with the BLM movement. Our refusal—rooted in our Christian convictions—led many to slander our reputation, organize boycotts, and pressure our partners to disassociate from us in an attempt to shut us down. They failed. The only thing they succeeded in was making us more vocal about the truth that fuels us.

The New Frontier

While we initially had high hopes of building and sowing seeds in Albuquerque, the deteriorating social and political climate became increasingly incompatible with our convictions, both personally and as a company. In 2025, we made the difficult decision to relocate and reestablish ourselves in Middle Tennessee—returning to the place where our silversmithing story first began. This move allows us to fully align our lives with our mission and continue the work of preserving tradition from a foundation of strength.

- Chad Barela Founder and Silversmith, The Common Company