32 Pair of Scissors Studio began with artwork by Frank Finley, namely sterling silver jewelry, and over time, that simple beginning with jewelry making progressed to the multitude of work featured on this website today.

Over the years, there have been several iterations of the name, but the original business has always been Salish Silver. While other items were added to Frank’s line of products, Ipaululim was the name of the business. Ipaululim in the Salish language means, “white metal,” while this name was relevant, many people were confused by it.

In the course of his outreach work while at Salish Kootenai College, Frank had a kit that he brought to schools in the area. There were several tubs of various items he needed to bring with him, one in particular, carried the label “32 pair of scissors.” 

While visiting his sister D.G. House at her (art?) gallery in Bozeman, Montana, she happened to spy the tub among Frank’s items and the label that was stuck upon it and exclaimed, “That would be an awesome name for a studio!” The name stuck, and the rest, as they say, is history.