Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths

On this episode of the Slowmade Podcast, I’m joined by artist and jeweler Francesca Kennedy for a deeply thoughtful conversation about creativity, instinct, imagination, and making without rigid rules.

Francesca has spent decades creating, first in clothing design in the Bay Area and later in jewelry, and one of the things I loved most about this conversation was her willingness to stay open creatively. Rather than forcing herself into a formula or “brand,” she follows curiosity, experimentation, feeling, and play — allowing the work to evolve naturally over time.

Together we talk about growing up “semi-feral,” the importance of imagination and solitude in a creative life, the changing landscape of art and business, one-of-a-kind work, travel, beauty, community, and the freedom that comes from creating work that feels true to who you are.

This conversation felt especially meaningful to me because it also marks the 100th episode of the podcast. I walked away feeling inspired, creatively recharged, and reminded that some of the most interesting artists are the ones willing to keep exploring.

You can find Francesca’s work and follow along here:

Instagram: @flkjewelry

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Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

Norah Payne first found her way to metalsmithing years ago before stepping away from it for over a decade. When she returned, it wasn’t with a clear plan, but as something to hold onto during a deeply isolated time—something that slowly became the work she couldn’t imagine letting go of.

In this episode, we talk about building a body of work over time, following what feels right, and designing intuitively—often letting the stone lead. We also get into the realities many independent jewelry artists are facing right now, from slower sales to rising material costs and staying visible online.

Norah also shares about losing her home and studio in a wildfire, what it meant to begin again, and the support she received from the jewelry community as she rebuilt.

This is a conversation about returning to what you love, trusting your instincts, and continuing to make… even when the path isn’t clear.

Follow Along:

Norah on Instagram: ⁠@norahpaynemetals

Norah’s Website: norahpaynemetals.com

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Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

If you’ve ever struggled with photographing your jewelry—or wondered if it might be time to invest in professional images—this conversation is going to give you a lot to think about.

Today I’m joined by jewelry photographer Cole Rodger, whose work many artists in our industry trust to bring their pieces to life. Cole didn’t start out planning to photograph jewelry, but through years of experience in both photography and running her own product-based business, she’s developed a deep understanding of what it takes to create images that not only look beautiful… but actually help sell the work.

In this conversation, Cole shares what goes into creating strong, impactful images—and why photography is often one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) parts of an artist’s business.

We talk about when it makes sense to invest in professional photography, how different types of images serve different purposes, and what artists can do right now to improve their own photos at home.

This is one of those episodes that can shift how you see your work—and how you present it to the world.

Follow Along:

Cole on Instagram: ⁠@coleimage & @colerodgerimage

Cole’s Website: coleimage.com

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Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

Amy and Ray Bridewell share a creative partnership that brings together two very different backgrounds — metalsmithing and ceramics — in a way that feels both natural and entirely their own.

Ray creates the stones, growing crystal gemstones in a kiln through a process shaped by heat, time, and years of experimentation. Amy then takes those one-of-a-kind stones and transforms them into jewelry, focusing on how each piece can best be worn, held, and experienced.

In this conversation, we talk about how their work came together, what it looks like to collaborate as both partners and artists, and the reality of working with materials that don’t always behave the way you expect. Ray shares the long path of learning to grow these stones, and the continued sense of discovery that still exists every time the kiln is opened.

We also talk about shows, connecting with people in person, and the importance of helping others understand the process behind the work — especially when what they’re seeing challenges what they think they know about stones.

This episode is a reflection on patience, experimentation, and the kind of making that asks you to stay curious.

Follow Along...

Ray & Amy on Instagram: ⁠@bridewell_and_bridewell

Ray & Amy’s Website: bridewellstone.com

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Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

Kate Weber of Night Swim Designs joins me to talk about finding her way to metalsmithing during the uncertainty of 2020 after being furloughed from the travel industry. What began as something to fill the time quickly became a path she couldn’t imagine leaving, and working with metal felt like a language she already understood — a mix of creativity, structure, and problem-solving that finally clicked.

In this conversation we talk honestly about what it looks like to build a life as an independent artist right now. We get into rising metal prices, slower sales, pricing handmade work sustainably, and the constant balance between creating what we love and making a living from it. Kate shares her thoughts on trusting your instincts, valuing your time, and why handmade jewelry should be seen as lasting work, not something disposable.

We also talk about travel, nature, building a studio from the ground up, and the way working with our hands can bring us back to ourselves when everything else feels uncertain.

This episode is a reminder that there isn’t one right way to build a creative life — only the path that feels true to you.

Follow Along...

Kate on Instagram: ⁠@nightswimdesigns

Kate’s Website: nightswimdesigns.com

Love the Podcast?

Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

Originally aired August 21, 2024, this is not only one of your favorite episodes, it's one of mine!

I’m sure you know how it feels when you meet someone new at an event and within a few minutes you feel you’ve found a kindred spirit? Someone who speaks your language.

Well, that is how I felt when I met Kerin Rose… and it’s not because Rose was my maiden name. 

Kerin was a member of a metalsmithing community I belonged to on Etsy. I’m sure if you have listened to the podcast for anything length of time you have heard me talk about EtsyMetal and the positive impact it had on my success as a new business owner. 

I’ve probably known Kerin for 20 years now, but we’ve never sat down and had a conversation together. We would mostly chat about the business of selling jewelry, in our Etsy group forum, or more recently through DM’s. However, Kerin’s jewelry and ceramic work resonated with me on soul level and I knew that we spoke the same language which is why I was over the moon when she agreed to have a conversation with me on Slowmade.

I've personally known Kerin as a wonderful jewelry and clay artist, but I was really surprised to hear her art journey extended far beyond those lines. I think you'll find her story surprising as well.

From Kerin's website...

"I am an artist  and  beauty hunter..... mostly, I am a believer in 'kinship magic'. It means that a person's personal energy can travel through an object. 

How  do we connect more deeply to the natural world?  To each other?  To beauty? To the darker side of human existence? What do the spaces between us mean , and what are they actually made of?  Life is beautiful, and it's also hard...we are asked to hold both of those things  in our hands and heart at the same time. Sometimes, you need a tangible object, a ritual, a symbol of being human. That is where I come in."

Website: www.kerinrose.com

Instagram: @kerinrose

If this podcast means something to you and you would like to support it, please take a a moment to give it a few kinds word with a written review on your favorite podcast listening platform. This helps me share the podcast with others. You can also share a favorite episode or consider joining our Slowmade Podcast Patreon community. You support literally makes this podcast possible. Thank you so much!You can follow along or reach out to Christine on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@christinemighion⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠@slowmadepodcast⁠⁠⁠ or you can send her an email at: [email protected]

Rachel Morris is a metalsmith, educator, and business consultant whose creative life has taken many turns — from early metalwork at age eight to theater, teaching, and even circus camp along the way. Through it all, metal has remained the steady thread.

In this conversation, Rachel shares how teaching has shaped her own craft, why evolving your work sometimes means stepping outside of cohesion, and how she’s learning to redefine success on her own terms. We talk about impostor syndrome, inventory anxiety, and the humbling experience of watching someone fall in love with a piece you made.

Rachel also opens up about her long-running projects — including A Box of Unfinished Things and her upcoming clasp-making book — both of which explore how we think about design, mechanisms, and unfinished work in new ways.

This episode is a thoughtful reflection on growth, mentorship, and the courage to keep building what feels true.

Follow along with Rachel...

Rachel's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@eclecticnaturejewelry

    The two playlists we discussed are:

        The Cogswell "Creative Stonesetting" Zoom-Along: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkwALzpyEHL2XcLrtliWRiD_cAHGnr7n9

        A Box of Unfinished Things: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkwALzpyEHL1fzw_3d0fnniLhCeS1UPiP

Rachel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EclecticNatureJewelry

Rachel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eclecticnaturejewelry

Rachel's Website: https://eclecticnaturejewelry.com

Also mentioned...

Josh Simpson, Glass artist - the Infinity Project: ⁠https://www.joshsimpsonglass.com/infinity-project⁠

Love the Podcast?

Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

In this episode, I sit down with jewelry artist Suzanne Schwartz. Suzanne shares the story behind her signature stitched metal work and how handwork, memory, and influence quietly shape her designs. We talk about how her grandmother’s love of stitching and textiles left a lasting imprint, and how that thread continues to run through her jewelry today.

The conversation also explores the realities of building a sustainable jewelry practice over time — navigating rising material costs, pricing work that takes patience, and continuing to show up year after year. Suzanne reflects on art shows, mentorship, creative doubt, and the ongoing process of making work that feels true as both an artist and a business owner.

This episode is about persistence, curiosity, and learning to trust the path you’re on — even when it unfolds slowly.

Follow Suzanne...

Instagram: @suzanne_schwartz_jewelry

Website: suzanneschwartzjewelry.com

Love the Podcast?

Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

In this episode of Slowmade, I’m joined by Janine DeCresenzo, a studio jeweler who has spent more than twenty years supporting herself through her craft — largely on the art show circuit.

Janine shares what it’s really been like to build a life around travel, art festivals, and face-to-face connection with customers, and what that path has taught her about community, stamina, safety, and the long game of being a working artist. We talk honestly about the physical and emotional toll of show life, how priorities shift over time, and what it looks like to step back without walking away from the work you’ve built.

Our conversation also explores Janine’s recent business shifts — leaning more into custom work, home trunk shows, and creating a model that feels more balanced and sustainable in this season of her life. We spend time talking about learning as an artist, staying curious, and even how Janine is thoughtfully exploring AI as a tool to support the business side of her work, freeing up more time for the studio.

This is a grounded, generous conversation about evolving without erasing your past, listening to what your life is asking for now, and trusting that a creative career doesn’t have to stay fixed to remain meaningful.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Building a full-time jewelry career through art shows and travel

• What 20+ years on the art show circuit really looks like

• Safety, stamina, and self-care on the road

• Choosing a slower, more balanced business model

• Custom work and building deeper client relationships

• Staying curious and continuing to learn as an artist

• Using AI as a supportive business tool (not a creative replacement)

• Playing the long game as a working artist

Connect with Janine:

• Website: janinedecresenzojewelry.com

• Instagram: @decresenzojwlry

  
  

  Love the Podcast?

  Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

  Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

  
  

  Follow Christine and Slowmade...

  Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

  Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

  Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

Lately, I’ve been hearing the same question come up again and again — in DMs, emails, and quiet conversations with other jewelry artists:

Should I be working with a coach right now?

In this bonus episode, I’m sharing an honest reflection from my own experience — what I’ve learned after investing in courses, coaching, and masterminds over the years, what ultimately felt supportive (and what didn’t), and how my relationship to “business advice” has shifted in this current season.

We’ll talk about:

• why support isn’t one-size-fits-all

• how timing and season matter more than formulas

• the difference between scaling and sustaining

• and why being in community with peers can sometimes offer more clarity than expert guidance

There’s no right answer here — just an invitation to listen inward, trust your own discernment, and choose what genuinely supports you right now.

If you’re feeling uncertain, tired, or overwhelmed by the noise, I hope this episode helps you feel a little less alone — and a little more grounded as you consider your next step.

Learn more about the Slowmade Collective! My favorite place for support, community, and connection.

Love the Podcast?

Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠

Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...

Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠

Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠

Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com