Jackie Jordan Studio shares behind-the-scenes looks at new jewelry designs, fabrication techniques, and the studio's creative process.
Jackie Jordan Studio One-Year Anniversary!
In the blink of an eye, Jackie Jordan Studio has reached its milestone one-year anniversary, and that age-old saying, “time flies when you’re having fun”, has never felt more real than it does at this moment.
As I began this journey, my first inclination was to let this website and business percolate for one full year and either call it quits or forge ahead. Well, I’ve never been a quitter, so I’m not sure why I even expressed that thought, but here I am, twelve months later, excited to continue this creative quest.
I had no grand expectations or written in stone goals for building this business in year one. Instead, my focus was to create without constraints, embrace the creative process and discover my design aesthetic. I also continued to learn while sharing my passion and work with anyone interested in handcrafted, contemporary jewelry. If I achieved one thing, it is taking a dream, making it a reality and enjoying each and every moment along the way.
I certainly have my family and friends to thank for their support both with encouraging words and acquiring jewelry I hope they truly love.
Happy New Year and Cheers to a whirlwind 2017!
Jackie
It's Been Seven Months Since My Last Blog Post.....What?
To say I have been lax in writing this blog would be a colossal understatement. I had great enthusiasm and the best intentions as I started this venture, but coming up with interesting things to share is just a bit stressful for someone who does not particularly enjoy writing in the first place. I must admit, I was a tad over ambitious when I committed to post something each and every week. What was I thinking?
So here I am, seven months later, trying to figure out what my plans for this blog are in the coming year. Can I commit to one post a month? Maybe one every other month? Certainly not every week since we know how that worked out.
As I drift through the last remaining days of 2017 I will, at the very least, compile a minimum of 6 ideas for future posts. I hope this will give me the incentive to publish something on a regular and more frequent schedule.
Until then, Merry Christmas and heartfelt wishes for a safe and peaceful Holiday Season and New Year.
Jackie
Unexpected Sentimental Inspiration
In the early 1960s my father's company sent him to work on the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific. I was around 6 or 7 at the time and could not fathom where in the world this was or what he was doing in this far away place. I recall with vivid clarity during his absence, the large heavy boxes that would arrive on our doorstep, much to my mothers dismay, with treasures from the beaches of Kwajalein Island. I'm not talking about a few tiny trinkets but large netted Japanese glass fishing floats, a fractured glass and brass porthole from a warship and other miscellaneous finds. I am so thankful he had the foresight to see the value in washed up sea-drift.
As you would imagine, seashells were in the mix but not just the expected types. My favorites were these interesting aubergine colored sea urchin spines. Those pointy little shells were like nothing I had ever seen before and I found them mesmerizing. I remember crafting a handful of them into wind chimes I am sure hung somewhere in my childhood home. After a time, those unique spiked shells were packed away and forgotten.
Fast forward 50 years later and my mom hands me this vintage, draw string, cotton bag containing dozens of those shells my dad foraged so many years ago. She unearthed these somewhere in her home and cared to share them with me, expecting I might do something creative with them.
I removed them from the bag and immediately added some to a little display on my coffee table and the rest went into a vintage bowl in my studio. As I considered these special shells for several weeks I became inspired to fashion a piece of jewelry to celebrate their sentiment and create something truly unique. Many had holes in the tops and I am uncertain if they appeared naturally or if my father perhaps drilled them as I assembled my wind chimes. In any case that tiny void provided the perfect anchor point for my idea.
I created several free form wire shapes, hammered, attached and finished them with a leather cord, in keeping with the natural and bohemian vibe. They are whimsical, unique and special in so many ways.
I hope this story will add a touch of history and warmth should you desire to adorn yourself with a sea urchin pendant. They are available on my website at jackiejordanllc.com
Always inspired,
Jackie
Creative Freedom
How does one define creative freedom?
This answer will certainly vary from each imaginative, gifted, artistic soul to the next. For me, being a former design director in the corporate world, there are many meanings. To be fair, there were countless moments of sheer joy and success, but many were hard fought. Now, I am no longer constrained by deadlines, budgets, opinions, criticisms, and rejections to name just a few.
Creative freedom means I can conceive and build everything my spirit craves, without scrutiny and audit by anyone other than myself. I can work as few or as many hours necessary to complete a project to my satisfaction. It also means managing every detail related to this small business. The up's and down's are explicitly mine to handle, solve, enjoy and admire. It's a scary thing, but having complete ownership, accepting what comes with this blossoming venture is definitely worthwhile.
As artists we crave to inspire others and seek admiration for our work, providing validation and a sense of purpose. If by chance we only inspire ourselves, at least we have done so with absolute conviction, inner fulfillment, and most importantly, creative freedom.
I hope you have a chance stop by and visit Jackie Jordan, LLC to see my latest jewelry creations. Each item is handcrafted with pure delight.
Sincerely,
Jackie
"Creativity is contagious, pass it on" Albert Einstein
Treasure Hunting Tucson Style
One of my ultimate pleasures is treasure hunting for jewelry embellishments. The search can be for something specific, such as a stone or pearl, but the primary goal is discovering unique elements to excite and inspire my creative soul.
My favorite excursion happens in Tucson, Arizona, where multitudes of gem and mineral shows blanket the city. This colossal exhibition of wondrous extractions from the earth will make you dizzy and in awe of Mother Nature. The magnitude of jaw dropping gifts from the planet to hold and behold is beyond description.
Navigating such an expo takes planning. Comfortable shoes are an absolute necessity, sunscreen, for the numerous outdoor venues, patience, as the crowds are exhausting, a list of essentials and must see shows, a good friend to tell you “you don’t need that”, and a budget. Save time for random excursions to visit the bead, glass and art fairs scattered throughout the town.
With those criteria met, my trooper pal Marge and I, trekked for miles in and out of hotel rooms, tents, ballrooms, warehouses, and parking lots with row after row of tables overflowing with nature’s bounty. I restrained myself from buying a 6-foot tall lingam stone, behemoth amethyst geode and a dinosaur skeleton, (yes you can buy those too), but instead acquired many gorgeous petite gems that fit handily into my backpack.
After three days of scrutinizing and selecting every specimen, I finally had time to admire my cache of tiny jewels, imagining what they might become. Iridescent boulder opals, sparkling geodes and druzy crystals, lustrous pearls, and slate speckled with shiny pyrite will keep me in creative bliss for weeks to come.
This treasure hunt was an adventure, a learning experience, a reminder of and appreciation for the beauty of our earth. It was also an inspired and successful journey to propel my artistic vision forward and encourage my return next year.
Now it's back to the bench to create something special with these fantastic finds.
Always inspired,
Jackie
The Tale of Frozen Charlotte
Late 1800s Frozen Charlotte Doll Parts
Downtown McKinney, TX is a beautifully revitalized historic square filled with lovely boutiques, restaurants, antique malls and shops. A frequent destination, this place inspires me with its enduring architecture, quaint atmosphere, unique charm and character. The best reason for venturing here however, is treasure hunting.
On one such outing, several years ago, while perusing one of my favorite little antique stores, I happened upon a small vessel brimming with miniature porcelain dolls, all of which were missing various body parts. Asking the shop owner if there was a story behind them, she gladly provided a brief history. Fascinated, yet not knowing exactly what they would become, I had to have just a few.
These tiny dolls, made in Germany in the late 1800s, are being unearthed as old doll factories are dismantled. They also have a name, Frozen Charlotte, due to their immovable body parts. These “broken” Frozen Charlottes, held more interest for me than ones completely intact. I made my purchase, headed home to research more, and figure out a new use for these alluring curiosities.
I sat with the Frozen Charlottes for a while and finally decided to wire one to a length of rubber cord and make her into a necklace. She was unlike any other piece of jewelry I had ever made. I fell in love with this little doll instantly, returned to historic McKinney, and purchased the rest.
Since that time I have acquired numerous Frozen Charlottes in a variety of sizes and conditions. Heads and busts, headless, limbless, stained and crazed with decades of character. I have crafted jewelry and objects with these precious dolls, each with its own interesting personality. She is an object of art, a distinctive paperweight, display for your favorite earrings or a necklace to adorn you. Knowing these Frozen Charlottes enjoy a second life and new purpose brings me great pleasure. I hope one of these charismatic gems will find its way into your heart. You can find them here at Shop Jewelry and Shop Objects
Creatively yours,
Jackie
