If you’ve been to our store, then you’ve  probably seen the designs of one of our longest-running artists, Jennifer Jeremias. Jennifer’s most well known for her geometric brass earrings (one of our favorites!),  but all of her pieces stand out as contemporary, sleek and elegantly simple.

Get to know the lady behind the beautiful jewelry!

How did you come to Ginger Root Design? I first met the Gingers at the Tooth and Nail Craft Fair but on by the now defunct Bored of Trade collective of which I was a member. They were working at Treasury then, and tailoring in an apartment when they weren’t at the shop. They were manning the booth for Treasury but also had some of their handmade goods for sale. I bought a red and white polka dot head wrap. It’s vintage Ginger Root that I will keep forever!

What inspired you to begin making jewelry? Not many people know this, but a friend of a friend by the name of Annie Chau was my inspiration. Actually, she’s a friend of an ex-boyfriend which is the only reason I haven’t told her. We met back in 2008 and she was working on her own jewelry line full time back then. It was this “ah ha!” moment for me, that someone could actually make their own jewelry designs for a living. Until then, creative careers just weren’t in my realm of possibility, at least they were never presented that way. Soon after meeting her, I started making construction jewelry from vintage pieces and not long after that I got the itch to go back to school for metalsmithing.

 How has your work evolved over time? My work is constantly evolving as my skill set gets me closer to my vision and the things I imagine I would like to make. Sure, the designs themselves are also evolving, but the biggest frustration I have with metalsmithing is that it takes time to develop your skills. There are no short cuts with jewelry if you want to make if yourself (as opposed to designing and having someone else make it). I know women at the Corcoran jewelry studio (where I used to take classes) whi have been making jewelry for 10 years. They still take classes and their designs and skills are still evolving. It’s really a lifetime pursuit.

 What inspires your designs and creations? At the moment I am mostly inspired by metal itself, by its inherent properties and also its limitations. Usually I will start a design by playing with my materials, as opposed to sketching and then trying to create. That said, I do tend towards a style that is modern, wearable and slightly unusual.