Jacki Cunningham, Front Office Lead at our Westside, clinic fills us in on what she is up to outside of clinic hours and her plan to put a ring on it!
- For the record please state your name and business/’hobby’ name
Jacki Cunningham | Jaxon Black Designs - Tell us about this lil hobby of yours…
Jewelry making, rings and earrings right now and necklaces are in the works… - How did you discover this previously hidden talent?
I’ve always been obsessed with fashion and I would come across items and always say, “I could make that”. I started with leather earrings and bracelets, which lead me to taking a metal working class where I met my mentor (Marianne: Junk to Gems), who taught me the ropes. Once I began to learn to solder I became obsessed with making rings. I am drawn to Opal and Turquoise and finding the stones has been one of my favorite parts! It is such a thrill when a new stone I ordered comes in and I can open it up and envision a fantastic new project! - How have you been able to grow in the ‘biz? What do types of things do you do to get the word out about your creations?
Everything has started very small, in my garage. I began giving rings away as gifts to friends and family, who then started spreading the word, which lead to custom orders. The requests became more frequent so I decided to grow my inventory and get downtown for First Friday Art Walks, which were surprisingly (to me) a huge success. I am currently working on my website and getting my products into shops around town. Jaxon Black Designs is currently featured in Brave Collective, off of Century Drive. - Big picture, where do you see this all headed, in an ideal world?
In an ideal world I would love to own my own storefront, retail in the front and work space in the back. I would want to feature other local artists who are trying to get their names out there. I have the image of the space in my mind! - Mission, tagline or message you want to convey through your art?
My tagline is Soul Inspired Jewelry. I want to help make the world a more beautiful place; for me, if i can do that through my jewelry I feel like I am contributing to my cause.
