Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jenni West. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jenni, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I discovered metalsmithing later in life which meant learning from square one which can be intimidating and overwhelming. Luckily, I had a wonderful instructor with over 40 years experience where I decided to take classes;The Craft Guild of Dallas. She instilled in me how important it is to know your worth and to keep practicing! One of her key teachings is to make a piece 5 times! I have definitely put that to use and have gained so much skill and confidence from it by making mistakes and problem-solving along the way. Also, it is wonderful to be around other artists in a supportive community like the Guild.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I have always had a love for jewelry and come from a crafty family, so it felt natural to pursue the art of making jewelry. I was looking for a creative outlet that gave me flexibility to work at home since I’m a mother of 3 children. I was a flight attendant previously. I decided on the name “The Bohemian Fairie” from my love of Bohemian style, and I’ve always loved Fairies. My daughter’s name “Ella” means Beautiful Fairy as well and I also made whimsical headbands for her and for sale in the early stages. So I thought the name was perfect for my brand!! In the beginning I pieced together designs with chains and components and did bead work. I wanted more creative freedom of actually making the items and not just creating from components already made. I met a woman at a jewelry show I was participating in, and we were talking about making jewelry and that I wanted to learn the art of metalsmithing. She told me about the Craft Guild of Dallas so I signed up!! My jewelry is all about whimsy and Magic and for the Free Spirits at heart.
I am currently preparing to present my work at The Fall Art Show at The Craft Guild of Dallas Nov 2-5, 2023
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I highly recommend taking an in-person class where you can surround yourself with other people in the same mindset. It really helped me being in a class setting for motivation and growth. Having a supportive community really aided my confidence and skill set. I also would recommend to keep taking classes to keep growing. My local guild offers a variety of courses and classes to support this. If the timing isn’t right for an in-person class, don’t let that stop you. There are tons of courses online and books available. But for me, I believe I accelerated faster because of taking classes in person and learning from my peers and from my instructor. It’s also a way to see if you really are interested without spending all the money to get the equipment to make jewelry. When I started taking my first class, my instructor gave me a list of items to purchase (silver, files, sheers, etc) but the major tools like a torch were provided at the guild to use while I was taking class. And this is a safe way to become comfortable using a torch which can be majorly intimidating!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My instructor and friend, Marilyn Ohara, had a huge impact on me. Like I’ve mentioned earlier, she instilled the importance of value and self worth along with it’s ok to make mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up over them because you learn so much from them. I remember her also teaching essentially “don’t get stuck in the yuck!” I’m paraphrasing but basically she was saying to push through it. It can be very, very overwhelming but just keep going! That’s what I needed to hear!! I love how I feel when I’m in class with other artists as well. This is a busy season of life now with 3 children in elementary school, so I haven’t had a class in a while, but I look forward to taking classes at the Guild and growing more skills in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebohemianfairie.etsy.com/
- Instagram: @thebohemianfairie
- Facebook: @thebohemianfairie
