We were lucky to catch up with Réjane Pratelli recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Réjane, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
I learned the importance of self-care the hard way. I used to be an academic researcher, working 12-14 hours a day, weekends included, and constantly living under the pressure: designing sound experiments, publishing, finding funding, teaching, among other tasks. I never really paid any attention to the alarm signals my body would send. One day my body showed it couldn’t take it anymore: a brain aneurysm popped and I spent a number of months without being able to speak and move my fingers. Severe hormonal and gastro-intestinal issues followed. Overall it took me over 6 years to get back to a level of near-normalcy. During those 6 years I decided to quit academia and I learned the craft of metalsmithing and jewelry design. I also learned how to take care of myself in several ways.
Metalsmithing is inherently a fairly physical occupation, and I had to build up the muscles that would first help me regain control of my body, and then sustain long hours at the bench in a safe way. My favorite and most efficient way to do so is a regular practice of Pilates and strength training. I exercise 4 to 5 mornings a week, for about one hour. That certainly eats up a big chunk of time out of work and family time. However the benefits are priceless. Not only do I make sure I’m fit enough to work safely, but I also get a break from the constant stream of questions and worries in my mind, from family issues to business strategies to the best design for my next collection. It’s a moment I spend focused only on my body, feeling the movements of my muscles, the flow of blood, and checking in with this beautiful human machine I live in. Exercising takes me to a deeper place of calm, as well as providing a surge in energy that fuels my day at the bench.
I also have a nightly wind-down routine that helps me managing my anxiety levels and insomnia problems. I set aside 15 min for mediation and 20 min for reading. This too takes time away from my family, but it makes me a nicer and more patient person and gives me more headspace to let my creativity flow. I often solve design or fabrication problems after meditating. Mindset reframing also happens when I take a walk, if possible in nature, but a stroll in the neighborhood works too.
Finally, I have learned how to listen to my body. I am much more mindful of the littles aches and discomforts that I feel and act upon them without delay. I know if this is going to be a bad day and I need to get some rest. Things don’t get done as fast as I’d like too, and that can be a little frustrating. But if I’m not fit to work properly, the quality of my work is affected, so there’s no point in being stubborn. I have wonderful clients who understand that handmade takes time and they don’t get upset if I have to delay their custom orders. They know they’ll eventually receive a carefully crafted piece that will last a lifetime or more. Taking the steps and time to take care of myself makes me a better artist and a better person.
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’m a metalsmith and jewelry designer. I run a one-woman small business (Anvil Fire and Time, www.anvilfireandtime.com), which means I wear countless hats: designer, maker, webmaster, accountant, photographer, customer service, supply manager, PR… As many others in the same situation know, this is overwhelming. It’s quite ironic in retrospect to think that I ended up in this fairly stressful professional situation after a stress-induced brain aneurysm damaged a good part of my body and my life as an academic researcher. The big difference is the joy I experience every day in the studio. I leave the personal and business worries at the door, put on my apron and step in a happy place of creativity and calm. This is such a luxurious feeling!
My metal of choice is sterling silver. It is a most unforgiving metal, but if handled correctly, it’s the one that offers the most possibilities in terms of texture and plasticity. When I made the decision to become a jewelry artist, I knew texture and space would be at the center of my practice. I developed my own approaches to work the metal and give it an unconventional look. You’re never going to find highly polished, smooth and shiny pieces in my collections. Everything is purposefully a bit rumpled, wrinkled, tortuous. But there always are touches of light and color that come from the gold, gemstones or pearls I scatter here and there. My pieces are simply a summary of life and of the complexity of the human psyche. They defy the standards of what’s acceptable as an ornament. But, unusual as they are, they do appeal to my customers. There’s nothing more heart-warming than hearing someone saying “this piece reminds me of the day when…” or “That piece is a picture of how I feel”. It can be uncomfortable, intimidating or downright soul-baring at first to wear those pieces, but ultimately it’s also truly empowering for an owner to wear a piece of jewelry that has such a deep, intimate meaning.
This approach is also my way of questioning the pressure society places on all of us, but especially on women: we are supposed to present a flawless appearance no matter how broken we might feel inside. Mass produced jewelry is advertised as something that’s necessary to complete your look and conveys an idea of self-possession, confidence and perfection. It’s shiny, smooth, polished, flawless. But how can it represent a real person, with all their flaws, contradictions, worries, little joys and big bursts of laughter? And what’s the point of wearing the same soulless jewelry as all your neighbors down the street? We have to acknowledge and emphasize that we’re all unique. As such, we all deserve jewelry that is personal, reflects our true self and empowers it. I strive to create rebellious, unapologetic, one of a kind jewelry that says “this is who I am, not who you expect me to be”. I don’t cast or make multiples, and start each new piece from scratch. This goes even further when I work on custom orders. I spend a lot of time with my clients, get to know them and I try to bring their personality in the design. The end-product is often surprising for them – and for myself! -, but I’m proud that so far all my clients have been delighted with the pieces I created for them.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
From early childhood on, I’ve displayed two features that have been a propelling force through my whole life: an insatiable curiosity and the need to understand how things work. It drove my parents and teachers crazy, but that made me a good scientist. The same qualities (yes, these ARE qualities!) helped me recover after my health scare and inform the way I work as an artist. I took the time to learn not only about bench techniques, but also about the physics and chemistry of metals and the crystal structure of gemstones. I think it’s important to know as much as you can about your area of work because that helps you make the right choices. In my field in particular, I need to know how far I can push my metals and how to stop right on the verge of disaster. Additionally, leaning as many techniques as I can widens my range of design possibilities. Technical mastery is the key to creative freedom. But in general, as nerdy as it sounds, I’m deeply convinced that time spent learning is never wasted.
A third quality, which I’m still working on, is empathy. This is really cliché, but it’s so important to human relationships, at a time when the vast majority of our relationships take place through screens and social media. Offering a smile or a hand could change a person’s day, maybe their life. When I couldn’t speak, a lot of people would impatiently look down on me, as if I were dim or deliberately wasting their time. That hurt so deeply! That was a harsh reminder that I had to be better myself. You never know how much pain the person in front of you carries with them, and there’s no need to make it worse. From family members to clients to complete strangers, everybody deserves a little more kindness no matter how your own day is going. The best part of it is that the kindness you give circles back to you eventually. In my business in particular, it strengthens my relationships with my clients, makes them more likely to come back and mention my name to their friends. That’s priceless.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I started asking questions from a very early age. I needed to know and understand everything around me. That can be overwhelming for parents! However mine never stopped me. Going back just 2 generations, people in my family never went to school after the age of 12, so learning, education and culture have a high value for us. But rather than just giving me answers, my parents encouraged me to look for them. They guided me in the right direction, never said no when I needed to borrow or buy a book, but ultimately I had to put in some work, use my brain, be open to different opinions and possibilities and develop a thinking process. They also let me make my own mistakes and learn from them. It’s the ultimate gift to let someone become their own person. Today, I live by the same principles, and whenever I teach a metalsmithing class, I encourage my students to embrace their mistakes and widen their understanding of metal by experimenting with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anvilfireandtime.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anvilfireandtime/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anvilfireandtime/
Image Credits
Guillaume Pilot
