My jewelry is fun and unique and has symbolic meaning realistically representing nature which is intrinsically intelligent and conscious and endowed with the inherent right to exist and to be loved.
It is quite easy and inexpensive to set up a home jewelry shop and begin creating original designs. I have 5 work stations in my studio: (1) A model creating work station (I use wax models), (2) A space for investing the model in a casting flask, (3) A burnout area with a kiln, (4) A casting station for injecting metal into the hot flask (I use sterling silver) and (5) a finishing area.
When I started making jewelry, I made all of my own equipment. A kiln capable of reaching 1500 degrees Fahrenheit I made out of old firebricks. I learned a steam casting technique using a clay flower pot and an electric hot plate. My hand finishing tools were garage sale items that I modified and an old motor was perfect for polishing. I still use those old hand tools and their value to me is precious. It is actually quite useful and beneficial to make your own tools because the same skills needed to fabricate tools are also needed for jewelry work.
I have found that wax sculpting, for me, was and is the most rewarding and difficult part of the process. The mechanics of manufacturing jewelry can be easily learned; creating original figurines with perfect detail can take many years to master. Insight for a design is a flash of light or a dream; a finished original model comes from diligent work and many hours.
My shop is in my home and I have been a jewelry designer, fabricator, gemologist, teacher, metallurgist and vendor for five decades. During that time I have acquired much useful equipment such as a reliable electric wax pen, a vacuum chamber and pump, a flex shaft polishing motor (or two), vibratory finishing machines, a good torch, a centrifugal casting machine, a pressurized wax injector, and many elegant hand tools. Some tools are best purchased if the resources are available and in that regard a small home jewelry shop with impressive capacity could be set up with excellent tools for a small investment.
When I was studying jewelry design in the art department at Palomar College in San Diego I also had a shop in part of a garage. Now I have a 200 square foot studio , which is still quite small, but with a delightful and efficient work space capable of producing multiple pieces a day. I ship worldwide and thank you Etsy for that , 15 years and 17,000 shop friends. I think Etsy has a good heart.
My studio is in the foothills of northern California in the forest town of Grass Valley which is a wonderful artistic and creative community. My work is a physical expression of love. Nature expresses love unconditionally. Jewelry creation is ancient, natural and interesting and harmless and a possible career for anyone with such inclinations and some manual dexterity and a willingness to learn. It takes time.
I very much have appreciated hearing from other artists, thank you, and those who are finding their way to manifest their own unconditional love through their creative work I am happy to help and best to you all. If you want it, it will happen.
Cheers. courtney