Temporary Studio Blues

If you haven’t heard the news, I am relocating my life and my studio from Dallas to Kansas City, Missouri. When I told my fellow jewelry friends I was moving to KC, I got a “deer in the headlights” stare followed by, “WHY?”. If you’ve never visited, or spent time in Kansas City, you don’t know what you’re missing. I’ve lived there twice, each time briefly, but I fell in love with this town in less than a heartbeat, and I have looked forward to the day when my husband Kurt and I would move back forever. 

Kansas City is a hidden, midwestern gem of a place. There is a welcoming and authentic sense of community here that I never felt in any other city where I’ve lived. It is also rich in history, arts, culture, entertainment, unique shopping, and so much more. I am eager to dive deeply into, and become part of this diverse, creative, and embracing maker society.

While this remarkable next adventure won’t be without a few less than ideal, temporary lifestyle changes, we couldn’t be happier.  Kurt and I are building our forever home, a dream come true, but in the interim we will be apartment dwellers. My bench will be a makeshift kitchen table with tools in a stack of boxes, and the worst part, no torch! This will take me back to my roots, and the first lessons learned in this incredible craft. There is no doubt it will reignite my love of rivets and other cold connections, so not a horrible consequence. As Alexander Calder once said “The trouble with a lot of artists today is that they have too much technique and equipment. They don’t know what to do with it all. If you cut down on it, you can work more strongly within narrower limits” I’m certain to rediscover the truth in that profound statement.

Although this interim situation may give me the studio blues, I believe it will push me to be more inventive and creative. It will also make me appreciate more than ever, the dedicated studio space my new home includes. No more soldering in the garage in 100 degree or 30 degree weather. No more climbing stairs to my bench on the second floor and back down to the garage again. No more lack of water at my fingertips and poor lighting conditions. And the best part is no more neighbors weirdly looking at me in my apron, mask and safety glasses.

During this transitory time I will continue to create as I dream with anticipation about my new studio space and sharing it with you. Please be patient, it’s nearly a year away!

Jackie

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Picture "almost" Perfect

If you ask any artist what the most difficult thing about their business is, I would bet, shooting great images of their work is at or near the top of that list. It's definitely at the top of mine.

As I don't possess the budget to hire a professional photographer and editor, I instead, invested countless hours researching, experimenting, shooting, re-shooting and purchasing a few tools to aid in the photographic process.  Some may say, with all the hours you spent on this, perhaps hiring a professional may not have been so costly. My response, you are likely correct. Still, I wanted to learn this skill, become proficient enough to create great images, and add it to my list of accomplishments. Is the ongoing learning curve worth the overwhelming time and effort? For me, yes. For others, perhaps not.  

I scoured countless articles and blogs regarding product photography, and most suggest a white or neutral background for most everything. Websites, submitting images to potential clients and any social media or catalog placements. With this in mind, I gave it a go. My set up is simple with all the basic equipment for product photography. I also followed the suggestions for lighting, camera settings and opting for a white background.

I must admit, after re-shooting and editing my entire collection I thought, what did I do? I had been so used to shooting on a gradient, or gray background, so seeing my images float on stark white was quite startling.  It took a while before I liked what I was seeing. This change made my website look much cleaner and minimal, which better reflects my design aesthetic, so double bonus! If you visited jackiejordanstudio.com in the past days, the changes in my images are evident and I would love to know what you think!

I've learned a tremendous amount in this quest for, if not perfection, at least images I am proud to publish. There is still much to accomplish and learn, but I am thrilled I made it to this place in my photographic journey. 

My next quest, modeling my jewelry to showcase size, proportion and aesthetic. A scary proposition, but one I must take on. 

Wish me luck in pursuing this next milestone!

Jackie 

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Getting Show Ready!

For those of you who take part in art shows and sales, you can relate to how much time and effort goes into each one. No matter how many times you have prepared for an event it appears to get no easier. Sure, maybe all of your items have a price tag on them, and are show ready, or are they?

I must check and double check each item. I must clean and polish everything to look its best. I must account for and package each item for every show. Each display must be in its best shape, ready to make my jewelry shine. It is a ritual and a process and the only way to have a successful show.

With practice I have a better system in place than when I began this adventure. I assign each collection of jewelry to a display that will showcase the item in my booth. I carefully stack and box each display in the order they will appear in my booth, and I can now get all of my jewelry and displays on to a single flat bed cart! An achievement I am very proud of! My greatest accomplishment is the fact I can break down a show in less than 30 minutes! That alone is a feat worthy of noting. 

I will go through this ritual once again as my next show approaches. Join me at the Dallas Contemporary Jewelry Show Pop-up on June 15 and 16 at Art on Henderson, 1802 McMillan Ave. Dallas, TX. 

Hope to see you there!

Jackie

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Sign up for the Latest!

Hi Everyone!

I know, just one more thing to sign up for.

Well, I promise I will only email you once or twice a month and only when I have something new to share or a special offer you may be interested in.

So, give it a try, click here and head to my home page where you can sign up for the latest, you wont be disappointed!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Jackie 

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Discovering My Signature Style and More

It has been just over one year since I launched Jackie Jordan Studio, and although I have been creating jewelry on and off for over 17 years, I have been spending the last 12 months, fabricating, experimenting and searching for my signature style. This process took me in many directions, some more successful than others, but all with the intent of creating memorable and wearable pieces of jewelry. 

Did I love everything I made? Actually, yes! However, I knew there was something missing, something that energized and excited me and truly represented my design aesthetic. I needed to stop trying to design for everyone and instead design for me and women just like me, or as I would come to learn, my dream client. It was a moment of clarity that stopped my in my tracks.

I was paralyzed by how to move forward and make this happen. And then the stars aligned when I stumbled upon the Flourish and Thrive Academy jewelry boot camp. Not only did these sessions confirm what I was feeling, they also challenged me, taught me so many amazing lessons and provided me with a roadmap to get me where I wanted to go. I also encountered a community of artists who were so willing to share their experiences and expertise and provide support, encouragement and advice. I am now ready to tackle the next steps. 

Sterling and Steel Collection, Pendulum Series

So, back to my signature style. My newest collection, Sterling and Steel, is what I have been working towards these past months.  It represents my love of architecture, graphic design, simple geometric and organic lines, minimalism and movement. These designs are for women who love the same things I do, who do not want to conform to fads and trends, but instead want to adorn themselves with art jewelry that never goes out of style. This jewelry is for women who want to make a statement without "making a statement". 

I am so excited about this direction and all the design possibilities it holds. My mind is moving at warp speed, but my hands can only make so much. I guess that's a good thing as it will keep me busy for months and years to come. 

Forever creating,

Jackie 

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Hello, World!

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

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