BEAUTY, FAITH & A HEART FOR JUSTICE

Beauty,

Faith

a heart for Justice

WORDS: JOSEFIN CUMMINGS/JANAE JANIK

When Josefin was nine years old, she received a silver ring from her parents that captivated her imagination for beauty, and specifically, jewellery making. That small gift started her on a journey to obtain her Master’s certificate, which is the highest proof of professionalism in the goldsmith industry.

Today, Cummings runs her own brand and has exclusive rights from the State Testing Institute to stamp the letters “JC” into her jewels. She lives in Stockholm, Sweden with her husband and three kids. In this interview with our team, she reflected on what she’s learned about beauty, faith and her heart for justice.

Q: When you first walked into a jeweller you said, ‘When I grow up, I will become a jeweller because I love beautiful things.’ What does beauty mean to you?

A: Beauty is huge and spectacular! Beauty can be found in so many different shapes! A beautiful person, or a personality, in a place, in nature, in something created, a beautiful song or a beautiful soul. Beauty is ‘in the eyes of the viewer’ as the saying goes.

For me, beauty is something in harmony. Beauty inspires me. Mostly nature, like a beautiful sunset, a giant mountain, or the tiny unique and delicate details on a spring flower.

Q: How do you see your faith intersecting with your craft?

A: The things we create and who we are can be a mirror and a reflector of his love, hope, grace, power, beauty and magnitude! When it comes to reflecting light, the best reflectors on earth are DIAMONDS! Nothing else can reflect light so optimally. The light shines right through and the diamond refracts it, and spreads it 360 degrees around itself. Nothing else can spread light from above better, except for you! We’re all created to reflect the light from above.

Goldchild is a project in which Cummings donates profit from her jewellery collections to organisations working with vulnerable children. It was born from the belief that every child holds immense worth, like a mound of precious gold. She designed a collection for Compassion International’s Child Survival Program supporting newborn babies and their mothers in poverty.

Q: You have attached beauty to justice through your Goldchild project. When did you start this?

A: I have always had a heart for children and people. I grew up in a family where my parents had incredible love for people in need, so I saw the big difference you can do in someone’s life. One day, me and my husband were sitting in our car listening to a radio program about children in trafficking, and it really broke our hearts. That was the start of Goldchild. I felt I needed to do something, even if my part is small. Even if my part is to do business as good as I can, and then be able to support organisations who work with children in need.

Q: What brings you the most joy in your work?

A: I think it’s in the mix of everything I do. To meet gorgeous people brings me joy! And to create things in the most incredible material, like gold, and gems and extraordinary diamonds! And to realise that your passion, gift and what you create can be a blessing for someone else is a great joy!

One thing I have on my heart is to encourage people to go for their dream! Go for what’s on your heart! You are created [as] unique on the inside as you are on the outside — as unique as your fingerprints are... [so too] are your own mix of gifts and talents on the inside. So, be brave and do your best with what you have! Try not to compare yourself with others. Be you. You are strong in His love and His power. You don’t have to be strong on your own. Trust Him. He will lead you. Trust Him [with] trading our ashes for greater beauty!

Image: Mike Eriksson

To hear more from Josafin watch As An Arrow Documentary from the Welcome Home To Sweden session