July 18, 2024
By Ashley Ritchie

Jewelry making is an ancient craft that has been practiced for thousands of years. For Jill Fennell, Frank K. Webb Academic Professional Chair in Communication Skills, designing and creating jewelry is a fun and rewarding hobby that allows her to express her creativity and make beautiful pieces of wearable art. In a recent Q&A, she shares her jewelry making journey, giving us the details on her dazzling designs.
 

When did you start making jewelry and how did you become interested in it?

I’ve always been interested in jewelry because I’ve always been interested in stones. I was one of those kids who had a rock collection. But I started making jewelry during the dissertation phase of my Ph.D. After spending hours in my head thinking about theory, I wanted something to do with my hands. I started by working with beads, and then made my way to metalsmithing.
 

What kind of jewelry do you make?

I still make a few beaded pieces—mostly hand-knotted necklaces or earrings—but I mostly do silversmithing now. I have some pieces that are fabricated from sheet metal and some from a recent lost wax casting course I took. I’m still figuring out which style is my favorite.
 

How did you learn to make jewelry? What do you do to improve your skills?

I took my first metalsmithing class at the Oak Ridge Arts Center. When I moved to Atlanta, I joined the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia. I take classes there regularly. My goal is to be a lifelong-learner, and there certainly seems to be a lifetime’s worth of different approaches to metalwork and jewelry. I'm looking forward to learning keum-boo and enameling in the future.
 

What is your favorite or most memorable piece you have made?

My current favorite is a cast silver and gold opal pendant I made in my recent lost wax casting class. I started making it when I got frustrated with a different project in the class. It helped me realize that with wax, I could be more playful, and didn’t have to worry about everything being perfect. It is also the first piece I worked on that includes solid gold, so I got to learn a new torch and soldering process.
 

Do you sell your jewelry online?

I do. But I don’t have much inventory now. I had to stop making a lot when I hit the academic job market. Now that I have my position within the Woodruff School, I hope to get to spend more time on my hobby and thus have more items for my store. My Etsy store is at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/jfenndesigns.
 

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to start a small business?

My advice would be to think about if you want a hobby or a business. While having a small business is great and definitely has benefits (such as funding an expensive hobby), I did find that I had to pause updating the business to protect my enjoyment of the hobby.