Virginia McCuin grew up on a ranch in Railroad Valley, Nevada, and gained an early appreciation for practical crafts while watching her father work as a blacksmith. Her own work started with leather tooling, but soon moved to gold and silver smithing. McCuin is mostly self-taught, and she has created a unique three-dimensional style that she uses in belt buckles and pendants.
McCuin employs the lost wax method of casting to make incredibly detailed sterling silver or fourteen-karat gold pieces. She creates miniature scenes of wildlife or ranching that she sets in box frames and often decorates with precious jewels.
A long-time Las Vegas resident, McCuin now lives in Silver Springs, Nevada, which better suits her ranch background. She displays her art at numerous shows each year, has been featured in magazine articles, and has written her own book, The Art of Engraving. For her artistic skill and for her generosity in sharing her knowledge at community events and schools, Virginia McCuin received a Governor's Arts Award in 2004.
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