Any South End local will recognize the name Michele Mercaldo, whose jewelry business has been deeply rooted in the neighborhood for over three decades. Michele belongs to the South End’s pioneering generation of artists, an eclectic, dynamic group that paved the way for the thriving community that now calls SoWa home. Before setting up her studio, she studied at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and pursued curiosities for printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and woodworking. However, it was jewelry that finally captured her heart, and by 27, she had completed her first collection to show at the American Craft Council Circuit, officially launching her career.