Interview with Jenny from Authentic Arts - River Rock Jewelry Maker

Rainbow River Rock Necklace - Authentic Stone

I first discovered the super-cool stone jewelry of Jenny at Authentic Arts through her stone drilling tutorial on the papernstitch blog. Since then I've discovered we have quite a bit in common, and I was excited for the chance to interview her for the blog.

What led you to choose stones as your medium in jewelry making?
An entire childhood of rambling around woods and through streams and half a college career studying geology? Actually the stones chose me :) one day I was making beaded gemstone jewelry and the next I was making little rock collection necklaces. It's just like evolutionary history, we're all here by accident! It's just as lucky that I happened to pick up a rock and make a necklace out of it as we're lucky that our ancestors survived the mass extinction event that claimed the brachiopods. :D

Brachiopod fossil rocks from Jenny's collection

How many stones do you have in your collection/inventory at any given time?
Way too many and not enough! Right now, I've got about 500 of the small colorful stones I buy from a fellow Idaho artisan, a good amount to work from. Wisconsin stones? I've got about enough to fill... 3 shoe boxes. Many may never become jewelry, my beachcombing motto is "pick up anything that appeals to you, because you never know what kind of stone you'll need next" I've also got a shoebox of slate from New York and a shoebox of Pennsylvania rocks (most are big brachiopod fossil rocks that I just had to love, there's no way someone could wear them around their necks!)

Ammonite Fossil Necklace - Authentic Stone

Do you have a day job too, in addition to your creative work?
I also work part-time in a library. No creative energy needed or encouraged and no health insurance, so I'm planning to take the jewelry making full-time within the next few years.

What state are most of your etsy customers from?
Good question! I get a lot of people from California, but really they're from all over, a real mix. Sweden, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Canada, Iowa, Australia, Illinois, Wisconsin, etc. There's no clear trend.

Farmhouse Basket - Abundant Haven

What are your three favorite pieces right now in your etsy shop?
This Ammonite and Wisconsin rock necklace is my favorite, hands down!  Followed by this pair of Wisconsin stone earrings  which is a brand new style that I already LOVE wearing! My favorite that I made from the colorful Idaho rocks is this Rainbow Rocks necklace,  it's awesome that natural, undyed rocks can be so colorful! Since every piece is one-of-a-kind, there's ALWAYS something new on the horizon :) That means a lot of photographing, too, but the jewelry is worth it!


Finally, What does your ideal Saturday (or day off) look like?

DEFINITELY watching the entire Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea movies (all 8 hours!) while doing something creative like knitting or drawing with breaks for taking walks around the neighborhoods and through the cemetery by my house. Also, I would have grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch and an ice cream cone sometime during the day. :D Maybe firing up a John Denver LP on the record player to sing along with while I cook the grilled cheese!

Jenny collecting stones for jewelry

Thanks Jenny! Mmmmm grilled cheese and tomato soup are the BEST (especially with extra sharp cheddar). I hope my blog readers will get a chance to check out Jenny's online shop, Authentic Arts
her facebook page and her blog as well!