Carrie Armstrong owns and runs Big Sur Goldsmiths, a woman-owned studio. Her connection to metal began in 1997, working with the Italian sculptor Ron Bertocchi, where she learned welding, forming and foundational metal techniques. She later earned a BFA in printmaking from Southern Oregon University, deepening her understanding of metal through etching and engraving.

After meeting her partner, Ali A Lee, and the master goldsmith Karl Lee, Carrie moved naturally to the jewelry bench. Under Karl's mentorship she developed advanced hand fabrication skills while finding her own design voice. Karl wanted her to have his bench, and his faithful Eskimo dog, Sugar. Carrie works at that bench today, continuing the studio's handmade tradition with Ali.

Each piece is hand fabricated in the studio using traditional techniques such as fusion, keum-boo, granulation and hand-forged chain work. Carrie works in platinum and in recycled gold and silver, often with tourmaline, ruby, sapphire, diamond, garnet and turquoise.