While you bead and make jewelry alone a good part of the time, it’s no fun to always bead and make jewelry alone. It’s good to become part of a support network — even build your own.
Some people form informal beading or jewelry making groups, and hold meetings once or twice a week at their homes. Others join more formal local bead societies and clubs and collaborations. People take classes and workshops. They find like-minded people in social networks and forums and message groups online, and share images and stories with them.
You will also find compatriots by attending bead and jewelry shows. Some are local. Some are geared to a national audience, like a convention.
There are national societies and guilds for jewelry and beading, which you can join. You can find these listed online.
You learn a lot from compatriots. Everyone does things just a little differently. Everyone’s interests take you places you never thought of before.
It is so difficult to part with pieces you have made. There is a natural attraction. You have poured time, money, and effort towards completing them. You put off other things you could have done, in order to finish them.
I remember submitting an entry to a Swarovski Create Your Own Style contest. First, all I had to send was a picture and a write-up. This was exciting — the anticipation of winning, connecting on some level to Swarovski — like connecting to a celebrity.
And I waited and waited to hear from them. And I did. One day an email popped up on my computer, indicating that I had made the semi-finals. The next step was to send in the actual piece.
My initial elation soon deteriorated into a type of grief. I had spent over 150 hours and over $1500.00 creating this piece. I did not want to let it go. Once sent, Swarovski kept them. I knew I wouldn’t get it back.
Although I could have wrapped and packaged my piece in a part of a day, it took me a week. I’d wrap and unwrap. Put it in one display box, then decide that wasn’t good enough. Another display box, and didn’t like how it sat in the box. Some reconfiguring the positioning, and then I had to close the box. Wanted to see it one more time, then closed the lid again.
I put the display box into the shipping box, but couldn’t seal it up. I left the shipping box open and sitting on a table in my studio. Had to see the piece several more times.
Then, I didn’t like the way the display box sat in the shipping box. Changed shipping boxes. Tried setting the display box several different ways.
Finally closed the shipping box. Labeled it clearly. Printed the shipping label. Felt I needed more documentation and insurance, should the box get lost.
Took a deep breath. Drove the box to the UPS office. Dropped it off.
And felt like I had lost my best friend. I was scared. Empty. Totally disconnected from the excitement of getting selected as a semi-finalist by Swarovski.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER Merging Your Voice With Form
So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.
Some Updates and Things Happening. (Please share this newsletter)
In this Issue: 1. CALL FOR ENTRIES: 2026 Smithsonian Craft Show 2. Finding Your Place Between Craft and Fine Art 3. CALL FOR ENTRIES: Palm Beach Craft Show 4. New Book: Jewellery Now 5. Polishing Up Your Portfolio
Some articles you may have missed Featured
~~~~~~~~~~~ Trump has imposed another 40% tariff on Japan — on top of the previous 10% and 20% tariffs on Japan. Add in the unbelievable price of gold. And now you have it. Japanese seed bead prices in July are another 40% higher than in June. They are about anywhere between 50% and 260% higher than they were before Jan 20, 2025.
You will still find that our prices on www.LANDofODDS.com are some of the lowest in the industry.
And if you become a paid subscriber on our Jewelry Designers’ Hub (www.patreon.com/warrenfeldjewelry), you’ll get a 25% discount on all your purchases.
2. Finding Your Place Between Craft and Fine Art To find your place in the art world, when you work between craft and fine art…Decide how you want to be seen: are you positioning yourself as a fine artist, a maker, or something in between?Use juried exhibitions and curated shows to elevate the perception of your work.Keep your public-facing presence (like your website) aligned with the identity you want to reinforce.If you feel like you’re missing knowledge, treat it as a gap, not a flaw — and go fill it. Read, attend, ask, explore. Tip: find the meaning behind your materials.
Jewelry Design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about intention. Ask yourself: “Why am I making this?” Not just, “what is it for?”
Color, material, and format carry symbolism. For example, green might represent life, not just beauty.
Makers often create with function in mind. Fine artists consider concept and philosophy. Designers are somewhere in between. Explore how your materials can express ideas and represent who you are as a jewelry maker/artist, not just fill space.
Selling Is about story-telling, and your stories signal where on the Craft to Art to Design continuum you place yourself.
Selling your art often feels awkward and uncomfortable. Rather, don’t try to be a salesperson, be a storyteller. Let your enthusiasm for your work do the talking.
Instead of pushing for a sale, talk about your process, materials, or the inspiration behind a piece. Invite curiosity and let conversations unfold naturally.
Why it works: People connect emotionally with art. When they understand the story and passion behind it, they’re more likely to see its value—and buy.
4. New Book: Jewellery Now Jewellery Now presents Elizabeth Goring and Gregory Parsons’ selection of work by 64 of some of the best and most interesting designer jewelers from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, from highly experienced artists to those in the early stages of their careers.
The exhibition aims to demonstrate the range of materials, processes, and ethical concerns influencing contemporary jewelry practice. It will feature both established and emerging artists, showcasing their technical skills, experimentation with materials, and innovative approaches to jewelry design. The exhibition also acknowledges the legacy of pioneering makers from the 1960s onwards and spotlights those challenging traditional notions of jewelry.
This publication accompanies the exhibition by the same name at Ruthin Craft Centre, July 5–September 21, 2025. View it here .
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5. Polishing Up Your Portfolio
💬 Including project statements in your portfolio adds depth and context.
Galleries appreciate understanding your inspiration and intent. Make your portfolio work harder for you.
Presenting only your larger or more profitable works (with a statement) is totally valid, especially if smaller sizes aren’t financially sustainable.
You don’t have to eliminate smaller pieces, but consider offering them online/in alternate formats later. Focus first on getting your current portfolio in front of galleries and seeing what gains traction.
Once you’ve built some momentum, you can revisit other sales strategies.
💻 A self-contained digital portfolio works better than an online website portfolio.
A self-contained digital portfolio gives you more control over presentation than a website slideshow.
Galleries are more likely to open an attachment than click a link. We recommend creating a polished PDF portfolio you can email directly.
You can still share your website, but make sure the portfolio stands on its own. This boosts your chances of getting noticed and taken seriously.
Also consider self-publishing a LOOK BOOK, which you can bring with you to various places. You can even sell this and/or give it away to better paying customers.
~~~~~~~~~ Upcoming Workshops by Warren Feld
Sat, 8/16, 9am-Noon, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sat, 8/16, 1-4pm, WIRE WEAVE 2 and SUN PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sat, 8/23, 1-4pm, INTRO TO WIRE WORK and MIX N MATCH BRACELET, Hoamsy, Nashville, LC Goat, Germantown, 1220 2nd Ave N Register: www.hoamsy.com
Sat, 9/20, 9am-Noon, LEARN BEAD WEAVING: RIGHT ANGLE WEAVE and CURVY RAW BRACELET Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sat, 9/20, 1-4pm, INTRO TO EVEN COUNT, FLAT PEYOTE and JUNGLE FLOWER BRACELETMiddle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sat, 10/25/2025, 9am-Noon, PEARL KNOTTING…WARREN’S WAY Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sun, 10/26/25, 1-4pm, DISCOVER PEARL KNOTTING Register through Hoamsy.com Class held at Cyanide Cider, 410 Woodbine St, Nashville, TN 37211
Sun, 11/16/25, 1-4pm, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT ~~~Register through Hoamsy.com Class held at Cyanide Cider, 410 Woodbine St, Nashville, TN 37211
Sat, 11/22/25, 9am-Noon, WIRE WEAVING INTRO AND MAYAN PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sat, 11/22/2025, 1-4pm, INTRO TO WIRE WORK and MIX N MATCH BRACELET Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sun, 12/7/25, 1-4pm, WIRE WEAVING AND MAYAN PENDANT Register through Hoamsy.com Class held at Cyanide Cider, 410 Woodbine St, Nashville, TN 37211
Sat, 12/13/25, 9am-Noon, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
Sat, 12/13/25, 1-4pm, WIRE WEAVE 2 and SUN PENDANTMiddle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins September 20 http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm
9/15/2025 – 10/15/2025 Exhibit, Warren Feld Art JewelryAt Pryor Gallery, Columbia State Community College Humanities Building (Waymon L. Hickman Bldg), 1665 Hampshire Pike, Columbia, TN 38401 Exhibits are free and open to the public Gallery Hours: Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. My pieces will be showcased in this exhibit. In the works is a possible Seminar and a beading workshop.
~~~~~~~~~~
WARREN FELD JEWELRY (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com) Custom Design, Workshops, Video Tutorials, Webinars, Coaching, Kits, Group Activities, Repairs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join our community of jewelry designers on myPatreon hub Be part of a community of jewelry designers who recognize that we have a different way of thinking and doing than other types of crafters or artists. One free downloadable Mini-Lesson of your choice for all new members! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Add your email address to my Warren Feld Jewelry emailing listhere.
Thanks for being here. I look forward to sharing more resources, tips, sources of inspiration and insights with you.Join A Community Of Jewelry Designers On MyPatreon Hub
Crafts enhance people’s self esteem. This is good.
You make a piece of jewelry. People like it, and express this to you.
However, sometimes people let the craft substitute for their personal identities. Friends and family praise the jewelry, thus praise the jewelry maker. It’s nice to have your ego stroked. But you need to remember that there is more to you than the pieces you have made.
And you don’t want to put yourself into a tightly bounded box, where you shy away from risks. You don’t want to find yourself making the same piece over and over again, afraid to try something else, should someone not like it. You also don’t want to find yourself making kit after kit after kit, without any personalizing of someone else’s creativity, or better yet, without venturing off to create your own patterns and ideas.
The primary source of “self-esteem” should come from within you. Not external to you. When someone says they don’t like your design, or they don’t like your choice of colors, they are not saying they don’t like you. They like you, or they wouldn’t express an honest opinion about your work.
The true Artist and Designer come from this inner place. They are able to bring their integral sense of self-esteem, a part of their very being, to the fore, when designing and constructing a piece of jewelry as art.
Their choices are informed by a sense of self. And that sense of self is self-validated within each piece of jewelry they create. No matter what anyone else thinks — good, bad or indifferent.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER Merging Your Voice With Form
So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.
STEP 1. NAMING YOUR BUSINESS: WHAT’S INVOLVED It’s Really Difficult To Pick A Business Name
Would you ever buy a Swarovski necklace or a bead crocheted rope lariat from a company called “Flan”?
The FLAN CORPORATION sells handcrafted, bead strung and bead woven jewelry.
The name “FLAN” doesn’t suggest anything associated with jewelry or the emotions jewelry should evoke. The name “FLAN” doesn’t connect in any way with people who might be looking to buy some jewelry. The name “FLAN” doesn’t lend itself very well to the kinds of imagery you might use in a logo, or on a business card or on a website. The name doesn’t really make you want to find out more information about the company.
As the people at the FLAN CORPORATION discovered early on in their new, budding jewelry business, as new customers failed to knock down their doors.
IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PICK A BUSINESS NAME.
Your name choice can make your business the talk of the town, or doom it to obscurity. …
I’ve always wanted a fuller online space for representing the various things I’ve been involved with. A space to bring all my writings about jewelry making, jewelry design and conquering the creative marketplace. A central place to guide people to opportunities — art and craft shows, beads, findings and other supplies, highlighting new ideas and new designers in jewelry.
My ultimate goal is to contribute a set of ideas, practical steps, and fix-it strategies to stuff into your designer toolbox, which all lead towards becoming a professional in jewelry design. Not a craft. Not only an artist. But a designer with the skills and insights for making tradeoffs between beauty and function, pure art and commercialization, and the intuitive excitement which comes from applying your creativity and the negotiation of shared understandings and desires as you introduce your pieces publicly.
I have set up this space for our community of jewelry designers — Warren Feld Jewelry’s PATREON HUB — to learn, to interact, and to provide and/or get feedback on what they are working on. Please join here.
Be part of a community of jewelry designers who recognize that we have a different way of thinking and doing than other types of crafters or artists.
WHY SUBSCRIBE?
Engage with a community. Benefit from its collective power — insights, reactions, feedback, foresight, and directing you to opportunities.
Never miss an update. You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new article of interest, and announcements about kits, workshops and webinars, chat groups, feedback sessions, and special promotions, goes directly to your inbox.
I bring articles, tutorials, and chat-group discussion sessions to you about…
What it means to be fluent and literate in design?
What the implications are for defining jewelry as an “object” versus as an “intent”?
Why some jewelry draws your attention, and others do not?
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Infuriating! That’s how many people, beginners and advanced alike, feel when they try to understand patterns and instructions.
Know up-front that most diagrams and figures are poorly drawn, and most instructions are poorly written. The instructors who write these often leave out critical steps — especially for new beaders and jewelry makers who are unfamiliar with many of the things these instructors assume that you know. Most often, they leave out critical information showing you the pathway, and how to negotiate that pathway, from where you are to where you are going next. It’s obvious to the instructor. But not so obvious to you.
In patterns, this “where-am-I, where-am-I-going-next” information is frequently unclear or omitted. You did Step 1 OK. You understand what Step 2 is about. But you don’t know how to get from Step 1 to Step 2.
Othertimes, the patterns are overly complex, often, in the editorial interest of reducing the number of printed pages. Instead of showing a separate pattern or diagram for each step, the editors frequently try to show you three, four, five or more steps in the same diagram. So you have a bird’s nest of lines, and a spider-web’s road map — and you’re nowhere.
I tell people, that you need to re-write the instructions and re-draw the patterns or diagrams in a way you personally understand. This is very helpful.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER Merging Your Voice With Form
So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.
NAMING YOUR BUSINESS Be Smart About Selecting A Business Name That Works For You
It really is difficult to pick a business name.
Your choice of name can make your business the talk of the town, or doom it to obscurity.
Coming up with that great name for your business takes a little work, some organization, some thinking, some getting opinions from several other people, and some reality-testing.
The material in this chapter will work for all jewelry making businesses, whether you have already gotten started in your business, or are still in the “I’m thinking about starting a business” stage.
I examine the pros and cons of different types of business names. Together, we will be doing some self-marketing analysis. We will rehearse a best strategy for brainstorming and for filtering.
I also review other critical business and marketing tasks which you can do, given the research work you have done generating a business name. These include,
• Registering your business, trademarks, copyrights
• Creating a tag line
• Working on an elevator pitch
• Naming your jewelry and jewelry lines
• Writing short descriptions of your business, as well as a short story to use with your marketing plans.
The name you pick for your business is so critical, that I am spending a lot of time with you discussing the how’s, whys, pros and cons.
Many people learn beadwork and jewelry-making in order to sell the pieces they make. Based both on the creation and development of my own jewelry design business, as well as teaching countless students over the past 35+ years about business and craft, I want to address what should be some of your key concerns and uncertainties. I want to share with you the kinds of things (specifically, a business mindset and confidence) it takes to start your own jewelry business, run it, anticipate risks and rewards, and lead it to a level of success you feel is right for you. I want to help you plan your road map.
I will explore answers to such questions as: How does someone get started marketing and selling their pieces? What business fundamentals need to be brought to the fore? How do you measure risk and return on investment? How does the creative person develop and maintain a passion for business? To what extent should business decisions affect artistic choices? What similar traits to successful jewelry designers do those in business share? How do you protect your intellectual property?
The major topics covered include,
1. Integrating Business With Design
2. Getting Started
3. Financial Management
4. Product Development, Creating Your Line, and Pricing
5. Marketing, Promotion, Branding
6. Selling
7. Professional Responsibilities and Strategic Planning
8. Professional Responsibilities and Gallery / Boutique Representation
9. Professional Responsibilities and Creating Your Necessary Written Documents
Some Updates and Things Happening. (Please share this newsletter)
In this Issue: 1. What If Waste Had To Be Worn Before It Was Thrown Away? 2. JEWELRY: The Sheer Look 3. PALM BEACH FINE CRAFT SHOW: Call For Applications 4. If your Instagram process reels aren’t getting the attention you want… 5. Jewelry Which Challenges Colonial Histories: Interview With Geraldine Fenn 6. 11th Annual Workhouse Glass International: Call For Entries 7. SIGNATURE READY? You Be The Judge 8. Marcus & Co: Three Generations of New York Jewelers Some articles you may have missed Featured
1. What If Waste Had To Be Worn Before It Was Thrown Away?
Yajie Hu in Conversation with Rachael Colley KLIMT02, 7/2025
“When I decided to integrate sustainability into my practice, I became more aware of everything around me, especially in my daily life. I noticed that I ended up with a lot of paper waste every time I went grocery shopping, and that caught my attention.”
“Reflecting on the environmental impact of plastics, I began researching their long-term effects. While plastic is affordable and functional, its non-biodegradable nature poses major environmental challenges. This awareness pushed me to rethink my practice with a focus on sustainability, seeking materials that are environmentally responsible, resource-efficient, and creatively reusable. Paper soon stood out as a sustainable alternative. I noticed how much paper waste comes from daily life, such as shopping bags, packaging, boxes, and began experimenting with pulped paper waste.”
Just as the sheer look has been trending in recent months, so have pieces with a barely there effect or peekaboo structure.
Designers of the various collections use such words as second skin, floating over the skin, gauzy, stones and metals like rose gold picking up on skin tones.
“Skin has been trending as a red carpet look for some time now, from Halle Berry’s sheer stripes at the Met Gala this month to Bianca Censori’s see-through mini at the Grammy Awards in February.”
“Recent jewelry collections have played with the style, too, featuring pieces that achieve a barely there effect on some wearers through the use of soft-tone metals and skin-matching stones. Other designs have open structures that would play peekaboo with any skin color.”
Cartier, Hyala Necklace
“The idea of a ‘second skin’ follows from a pursuit of softness, in color, in form and in the way the piece moves with the body.””
Vishal Kothari, the founder of VAK, has tried to blend his Indian heritage with a modern, skin-aware sensuality, like in his 18-karat rose gold Spectrum earrings that are part of his new Shattered collection.
Repossi’s Chromatic Sapphires collection was designed to create the illusion of the stones floating over the skin, as in this powder blush earring.
Earrings from Ms. Verstraeten’s Vienne collection. “The idea of a butterfly suggests the ephemeral,” the designer said. “But in nude shades, it becomes eternal.”Credit…Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times
4. If your Instagram process reels aren’t getting the attention you want…
🪝 Hook Instagram viewers fast with your process videos.
If your process reels are getting fewer views, the key might be in the first few seconds.
Start your video with a dramatic change or high-action moment: like a bold brushstroke, a close-up texture, or your hand working on the canvas.
Show your face early if you’re comfortable, as people connect with people. You don’t always need to reveal the final artwork; just make sure the process itself looks exciting and visually satisfying.
Most importantly, experiment — what works today may shift as social media algorithms change, so keep testing and adjusting!
5. Jewelry Which Challenges Colonial Histories
An interview of Geraldine Fenn by Khanya Mthethwa, Art Jewelry Forum, 6/23/25
Geraldine Fenn, Colonial Comeuppance I, 2022, brooch in silver, found object (vintage painted miniature), glass, glass trade beads, steel pin, photo courtesy of the artist
Geraldine Fenn’s jewelry challenges colonial histories while inviting intimate reflection, offering pieces that are as thought-provoking as they are wearable. The work doesn’t clamor for attention, but draws you in with its layered storytelling and striking beauty.
Geraldine Fenn, Beads for Power Series: Patriarchy, 2019, brooch in silver, vintage African glass trade beads, steel pin, photo courtesy of the artist
“In this conversation, Fenn speaks with warmth and insight about Colonial Comeuppance, the series that earned her the award. We explore her evolving relationship with museums, her fascination with historical portraiture, and the new collaborations and techniques — such as micromosaic and beadwork — that are pushing her practice in exciting directions. What unfolds is a portrait of an artist deeply committed to craft, connection, and the quiet but powerful role jewelry can play in reframing the stories we carry and wear.”
Geraldine Fenn, Pin-Up Girl II, 2024, brooch in silver, glass, printed card, mother-of-pearl, photo courtesy of the artist
Express your opinion, is the piece of jewelry displayed ready for prime time and the designer’s signature? You are the critic. Let the designer know: Yes, Maybe, No, Never!
All pieces shown have won international jewelry awards. But that doesn’t necessarily make them finished and successful.
Have fun with your critique. Don’t worry about being too harsh — no one will see your name with the responses.
The New York jewellery firm of Marcus & Co. created exceptional examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewellery. This volume chronicles their story, from the founder’s apprenticeship to the firm’s premises on Fifth Avenue, neighbouring Tiffany and Cartier.
The New York jewelry firm of Marcus & Co. (1892–1942) created exceptional examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry for an art-loving, wealthy elite. Innovative in their collaboration with contemporary artists, and in their captivating window displays and advertisements, the firm captured the imagination of Gilded Age families such as the Rockefellers. This volume chronicles their story, from the founder’s apprenticeship in Dresden to the firm’s grand premises on Fifth Avenue neighboring Tiffany and Cartier. The triumphs and tragedies of three generations of Marcus jewelers, both artistic and entrepreneurial, are presented here together with exquisite jewelry and archival design drawings spanning 50 years.
As a leader among American jewelry firms, Marcus & Co. were patronized by families such as the Rockefellers, the Wades, the Flaglers, and the Vanderbilts. Their plique-àjour designs of the early 1900s were particularly sought after; these artistic, three-dimensional enamels featuring extravagant shapes, natural motifs, and glowing colors represent the pinnacle of Marcus & Co.’s creations. Further, the family’s travels in India undeniably influenced Marcus & Co.’s designs for decades, while other styles drew on antique models that were very much in vogue, inspired by archaeological discoveries of the time. Marcus & Co. remained important participants in both the American and European jewelry scenes, through family ties as well as personal and business relationships.
Thus the book also traces the development of the New York jewelry industry from the 1850s to the 1950s, in addition to the impact of such major global events as the Gold Rush, the Great Depression, and World War II. Those interested in the history of New York City will discover intriguing details about lost streetscapes and social customs, conveyed through period photographs, personal letters, and business records.
Sat, 7/19, 9am-Noon, INTRODUCTION TO WIRE WEAVING and MAYAN PENDANT
Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm Sat, 7/19, 1–4pm, WIRE WORKING INTRODUCTION and MIX N MATCH BRACELET
Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm Sat, 7/26, 1–4pm, WIRE WOVEN MAYAN PENDANT, Hoamsy, Nashville, LC Goat, Germantown, 1220 2nd Ave N
Sat, 8/16, 9am-Noon, WIRE WRAPPED CABOCHON PENDANT
Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm Sat, 8/16, 1–4pm, WIRE WEAVE 2 and SUN PENDANT
Middle Tenn Gem & Mineral Society, Donelson Fifty Forward Registration begins June 21http://www.mtgms.org/schools.htm Sat, 8/23, 1–4pm, WIRE WRAP MIX N MATCH BRACELET, Hoamsy, Nashville, LC Goat, Germantown, 1220 2nd Ave N
I take in a lot of jewelry repairs. People either bring them to me in Columbia, TN, or, I pick them up and deliver them back in Nashville. I am in Nashville at least once a week. It’s been convenient for most people to meet me at Green Hills Mall. But if not, I can come to your workplace or your home. This is perfectly fine for me. My turnaround time typically is 3–4 weeks.
I do most repairs, but I do not do any soldering. I also do not repair watches. These are the kinds of repairs I do:
o Beaded jewelry o Pearl knotting, hand knotting o Size/Length adjustment o Re-stringing o Wire work/weave/wrap o Micro macrame o Broken clasp replacfement o Earring repair o Replace lost rhinestones or gemstones o Stone setting o Stretchy bracelet o Metal working which does not involve soldering o Bead woven jewelry and purses o Beaded clothing o Custom jewelry design
WARREN FELD JEWELRY (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com) Custom Design, Workshops, Video Tutorials, Webinars, Coaching, Kits, Group Activities, Repairs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join our community of jewelry designers on my Patreon hub Be part of a community of jewelry designers who recognize that we have a different way of thinking and doing than other types of crafters or artists. One free downloadable Mini-Lesson of your choice for all new members! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I always tell people it is easier to start by having someone show you what to do, either with a friend, or in a class, than trying to teach yourself out of a book or video tutorial. Books and videos are good at teaching you basic mechanics. But they are poor in teaching you the artistry and design skills you will need as a jewelry artist and designer. After working with a person, then go back to the books and online tutorials. You’ll get more out of them this way.
Particularly important to learn, and what you pick up best from another human being, include:
– how to hold the piece while working it – how to manage when you need to have firmer tension, and when you need to relax your tension, as you hold the piece – what about the technique allows your project to maintain its shape, and what about the technique allows your project to move, drape and flow – how to attach a clasp assembly or otherwise finish off your project – what materials are most suited to the project, and which are not – whether this, or another technique, is best suited to the project goals – how to prepare your materials, if necessary, before you use them – which tools you should be using, and how to hold them and use them – how to size things – how to read instructions, diagrams, and figures – how to anticipate what your potential customer or client would want from any piece of jewelry
Try to learn things in a developmental order. Start with beginner projects, graduate to advanced beginner and intermediate, then finally, to advanced. Take your time. Don’t rush to the finish line. You will learn more and be a better designer for it.
Try to learn things by groupings or categories. Vary things. You might start by doing the same project using three different stringing materials. You might try doing the same project using different types of clasps. You might create a compositional arrangement, and then play by rearranging or by changing out certain components or colors for others. Comparative learning is a very strong teacher.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER Merging Your Voice With Form
So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.
Express your opinion, is the piece of jewelry displayed ready for prime time and the designer’s signature? You are the critic. Let the designer know: Yes, Maybe, No, Never!
All pieces shown have won international jewelry awards. But that doesn’t necessarily make them finished and successful.
Have fun with your critique. Don’t worry about being too harsh — no one will see your name with the responses.
Your story might be 1 to 3 paragraphs long. It should be something you can say out loud to someone within 1 – 4 minutes.
Make this write-up part of your promotional materials. Tell your story out loud to friends and relatives. Eventually telling your story will become second-nature.
Your story will have three parts:
1. INTRODUCTION
Establish a context or situation. Explain why it matters. Identify the various problems or difficulties you had to overcome. The context or situation is something you believe your customer can connect with on an experiential and/or emotional level. If possible, your first sentence should contain a hook – something that captures someone’s attention, curiosity, wonderment, or something that captures a strong connection with the listener.
2. BODY
Detail how you came up with various solutions to the problems or difficulties. Mention your style or design preferences, and why you think they are important or advantageous. Pick 1 or 2 problems that you solved. Keep things simple, short, clear.
3. CONCLUSION
Say something about how your success evolved from how you found solutions to the problems you identified. Indicate how your success guides you now and will guide you into the future.
Practice how you tell your story. Make it impressive!
For more articles about Conquering The Creative Marketplace, click over to our Jewelry Designers’ Hub
Many people learn beadwork and jewelry-making in order to sell the pieces they make. Based both on the creation and development of my own jewelry design business, as well as teaching countless students over the past 35+ years about business and craft, I want to address what should be some of your key concerns and uncertainties. I want to share with you the kinds of things (specifically, a business mindset and confidence) it takes to start your own jewelry business, run it, anticipate risks and rewards, and lead it to a level of success you feel is right for you. I want to help you plan your road map.
I will explore answers to such questions as: How does someone get started marketing and selling their pieces? What business fundamentals need to be brought to the fore? How do you measure risk and return on investment? How does the creative person develop and maintain a passion for business? To what extent should business decisions affect artistic choices? What similar traits to successful jewelry designers do those in business share? How do you protect your intellectual property?
The major topics covered include,
1. Integrating Business With Design
2. Getting Started
3. Financial Management
4. Product Development, Creating Your Line, and Pricing
5. Marketing, Promotion, Branding
6. Selling
7. Professional Responsibilities and Strategic Planning
8. Professional Responsibilities and Gallery / Boutique Representation
9. Professional Responsibilities and Creating Your Necessary Written Documents
Many people who begin to bead and make jewelry want to rush to the finish line. They want to learn everything at once. They buy beads and parts indiscriminately. They try to use stringing and other materials insufficient to meet their design goals. They fail to anticipate how to finish off the clasp assembly. Their choices of colors often less than appealing. They don’t have the right tools. They purchase every book they can find. They take classes and view video tutorials on anything that interests them or catches their eye, no matter what the skill levels involved. They want to create those perfect, elaborate pieces Now. Not later. Now.
Beading and jewelry making are not things to rush into, however. These are not things to learn haphazardly. Not everything is something you can easily pick up without having someone else show you.
This is a hobby and avocation and even a career which requires you to know a lot of things. You need to know a lot about materials. You need to know a lot about quality issues underlying these materials, and what happens to these materials over time. You need to be mechanical and comfortable using tools to construct things. You need to learn many basic techniques. You need to understand physical mechanics and what happens to all these materials and pieces, when jewelry is worn. You need to be familiar with art theories and design theories and their applications. You must be aware of some architectural basics and physical mechanics which inform you how things keep their shape and how things move, drape and flow. You need to understand people, their psychology, the dynamics of the groups they find themselves in, and their cultural rules which get them through the day.
There is so much to learn, that you can’t learn it all at once. And there is so much to bring to bear, when making a piece of jewelry, that it is difficult to access all this information, if you haven’t learned how everything is interrelated and interdependent.
Where can you learn jewelry making skills?…
It’s important to learn in an organized, developmental way. You want to be always asking how things are interrelated. What depends on what? You want to pose what-if questions so that you can train yourself to anticipate the implications and consequences of making one choice over another. What happens If? What happens When? What enhances? What impedes? What synergizes? What can be leveraged, and toward what objective? You want to reflect on your outcomes.
Towards this end, you learn a core set of integrated and inter-dependent skills. Then learn another set of integrated and inter-dependent skills, perhaps at a slightly higher skill level, and how these link back to the core. Then learn yet another set of skills, again, increasing the skill level, how they link back to the first set, and then link back to the core. And so forth. Only in this way will you begin to know if you are learning the right way, and learning the right things.
There Are Many Ways To Learn
People apply different learning styles, when developing their beading and jewelry-making knowledge, skills and understandings. Each has pros and cons. Different people come to learn with different strategies or combinations of strategies. What is your preferred learning style? These learning styles and strategies include:
(1) Rote Memory
(2) Analogously
(3) Contradictions
(4) Assimilation
(5) Constructing Meanings
Most people learn by Rote Memory. They follow a set of steps, and they end up with something. They memorize all the steps. In this approach, all the choices have been made for them. So they never get a chance to learn the implications of their choices. Why one bead over another? Why one stringing material over another? How would you use the same technique in a different situation? You pick up a lot of techniques, but not necessarily many skills.
Other people learn Analogously. They have experiences with other crafts, such as sewing or knitting or woodworking or other craft, and they draw analogies. Such and Such is similar to Whatnot, so I do Whatnot the same way I do Such and Such. This can work to a point. However, beading and jewelry making can often be much more involved with composition, construction and manipulation, requiring making many more types of choices, than in other crafts. And there are still the issues of understanding the quality of the pieces you use, and what happens to them, both when jewelry is worn, as well as when jewelry is worn over time.
Yet another way people learn is through Contradictions. They see cheap jewelry and expensive jewelry, and analyze the differences. They see jewelry people are happy with, and jewelry people are not happy with, and analyze the differences. They see fashion jewelry looked down upon by artists, and art jewelry looked down upon by fashionistas, and they analyze the differences.
Assimilation is a learning approach that combines Analogous Learning and Learning Through Contradictions. People pursue more than one craft, keeping one foot in one arena, and another foot in the other. They teach themselves by analogy and contradiction. This assumes that multiple media and multiple techniques mix, and mix easily. Often, however, this is not true. Philosophies of design and technique differ. That means, the thinking about how a media and technique assert needs for shape and drape will have a different basis, not necessarily compatible. Usually one medium (or technique) has to predominate for any one project to be successful. So assimilative learning can lead to confusion and poor products, trying to meet the special concerns and structures of each craft simultaneously. It is challenging to mix media and/or techniques. Often the fundamentals of each particular craft need to be learned and understood in and of themselves.
The last approach to learning a craft is called Constructing Meanings. In this approach, you learn groups of things, and how to apply an active or thematic label to that grouping. For example, you might learn about beading threads, such as Nymo, C-Lon and FireLine, applying each one separately to accomplish the same project. In this way you begin to learn to evaluate each one’s strengths and weaknesses, especially in terms of Managing Thread Tension or allowing movement, drape and flow. You might learn about crystal beads, Czech glass beads, and lampwork beads, and then again, concurrently and in comparison, learn the pros and cons of each, in terms of achieving good color blending strategies. You might learn peyote stitch and Ndebele stitch, and how to combine them within the same project.
In reality, you learn a little in each of these different learning styles and strategies. The Constructing Meanings approach, what is often referred to as the Art & Design Perspective, usually is associated with more successful and satisfying learning. This approach provides you with the tools for making sense of a whole lot of information — all the information you need to bring to bear to make a successful piece of jewelry, one that is both aesthetically pleasing and optimally functioning.
The Types of Things You Need To Learn
There is so much to know, and so many types of choices to make. Which clasp? Which stringing material? Which technique? Which beads? Which strategy of construction? What aesthetic you want to achieve? How you want to achieve it? Drape, movement, context, durability.
Types of Beading and Jewelry Making
Lots to know. One mistake most people make is that they learn everything randomly. Some things on their own. Some from books. Some from friends. In no special order. Without any plan.
And because there are so many things that you need to bring to bear, when creating a piece of jewelry, that it is difficult to see how everything links up. How everything is inter-related and mutually dependent. And how to make the best, most strategic and most satisfying series of inter-related choices.
Types of Tasks Jewelry Makers and Beaders Do
And this is the essence of this book — a way to learn all the kinds of things you need to bring to bear, in order to create a wonderful and functional piece of jewelry. When you are just beginning your beading or jewelry making avocation, or have been beading and making jewelry awhile — time spent with the material in these segments will be very useful. You’ll learn the critical skills and ideas. You’ll learn how these inter-relate and are mutually inter-dependent. And you’ll learn how to make better choices — fluent, flexible and original.
In the class curriculum I teach, students are guided to learn the following objectives:
SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER Merging Your Voice With Form
So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.
Finishing Off The Piece. We always need to step back and reflect whether the piece as designed and implemented will be judged as finished and successful by each of the myriad audiences we hope to please. Will their judgments confirm or reject our philosophy of the particular technique(s) we used?
It is the challenge for the designer not to make the piece under-done or over-done. Each and every material and component part should be integral to the piece as a whole. In fact, the sensation of the piece as a whole should be greater than the sensation of any of its individual parts.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER Merging Your Voice With Form
So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.
When did you first realize you wanted to make a business out of your passion for making jewelry?
[While you are thinking about this, now is a good time to get out your pen and paper and jot down some thoughts.]
Everyone has a Getting StartedStory.
This is a story you tell over and over again. In it, you express your wonderment and passion. You talk about your excitement, your inspirations, your aspirations, your motivations and how you decided to channel them. You go over the steps you went through to discover what it is that drives you to create. You recall who influenced you, when and why. You remember different pathways and crossroads, where you decided to pursue your interests in one direction or another. You reflect on your expectations before you got started, and how these evolved or changed as you began to make and design jewelry.
Sometimes your story begins by touching some beads. Or running a strand of pearls through your hand. Or the sight of something perfectly worn around the wrist, upon the breast, or up near the neck. Other times, it may begin by taking a class, or deciding to make a special pair of earrings to match a particular outfit. Or thinking you want to make a piece of jewelry you saw someone wearing on TV or in a photospread in some magazine.
Your Getting StartedStory is a measure of what you have discovered, and what you need to discover still. It is a foil against which to measure your successes, and some not-so-successful things. It represents your insight and foresight when making both personal development and jewelry design choices.
And, it is very important to be cognizant and aware of how your Getting StartedStory follows you throughout your career …
