Interview with: Jess Jones of Fawn & Rose

We chat to UK Jewellery Designer, Jess Jones about her creative process & what initially drew her to jewellery design.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.

My name is Jess and I’m a jewellery designer from Brighton, now based in beautiful Norwich with my partner and toddler. I work out of a messy, dusty studio at the end of my garden.

What drew you to jewellery design?

I was working a super boring job when I graduated university - I had a degree in Photographic Arts and got a job shooting basic product shots for a shoe brand. It was very repetitive and sucked the joy out of photography for me. I needed a creative outlet, so I started putting together the odd piece of jewellery here and there. It was a slow start as I’m entirely selftaught, but gradually I began selling at local markets and it grew from there.

How would you describe your designs? What makes them unique?

My pieces are minimalist and design-led rather than trend-led. I like to use a variety of materials, and often mix mediums to produce something unique.

Where do you find your creative inspiration?

Industrial design, modern art and architecture play a large part in my creative inspiration.

Can you give us a little insight into your creative process? What are your favourite materials to work with?

For the most part, I use traditional silversmithing techniques to make the bulk of my jewellery, but I also create pieces from Jesmonite. This involves making a silicone mould and adding pigment to resin to produce beautiful colour palettes. It’s probably my favourite material to work with as it opens up so many possibilities when it comes to form and texture.

What do you do when you are not making jewellery?

When I’m not working I’m supervising a hurricane in the form of my 18-monthold son! And for balance I go to yoga classes which soothe my brain and sort my body out after hours hunched over my workbench/toddler wrestling.

How do you get out of creative ruts?

It probably sounds counter-intuitive, but I stop making and do something else. Whether that’s ordering more postage boxes, organising my studio, or clearing my inbox. I can’t trick my brain into creating, I just distract myself and hope the next time I get in the studio it’s a more creative session.

What advice would you give to someone interested in getting into the jewellery design?

You can find a bunch of great tutorials on YouTube, that’s a good place to start. Workshops are also handy as most provide materials for you so you don’t need to shell out a lot of cash on tools etc. before you’re ready. Build on your skills as you go along, there’s no rush to do everything all at once.

Are there any emerging designers, artists or other creatives are you loving right now?

So many! Anna Mac makes the most pleasing paintings, Hey are an excellent design studio based in Barcelona, Little Dottie Designs produces gorgeous childrenswear, and I love Hannah Bould’s ceramics.

Do you have a favourite piece from the SS19 Collection?

The Sterling Silver Terrazzo Ring, as it’s just so fun to make and looks great on.

Are you working on anything new at the moment?

Yes, I’m looking to expand my product range into homewares and other accessories, it probably won’t be ready for quite some time but watch this space!

To see more of Fawn & Rose head to fawnandrose.com and @fawnandrose