What if something you loved as a kid could eventually become your career?
For jewelry designer and metalsmith Mindy Diaz, it started with rocks.
“I have loved rocks and stones for as long as I can remember,” Mindy said. One of her favorite childhood birthday treats was attending a local gem and mineral show. Then, at age 12, her dad signed her up for a high school-level art class just for fun.
That class helped set her on a path toward a career she hadn't even imagined yet.
Starting a jewelry career at 17
Mindy's high school art teacher helped her get an interview with a jeweler in downtown Rock Island, Illinois. At just 17, she landed her first job in the jewelry industry.
She spent the next several years learning the craft, including working in a fast-paced shop that completed jewelry work for several stores.
The transition wasn't easy.
“I remember thinking, ‘I will either quit this entire gig or get really good at jewelry,’” Mindy said.
She chose to get really good.
The experience taught her to manage multiple projects while still producing professional-quality work, skills that would become important when she eventually opened her own business, InspireDesign Jewelry.
What does a jewelry designer actually do?
Today, Mindy creates custom jewelry, repairs pieces and designs new jewelry for her store.
Her work combines creativity with some serious technical skills. She sketches by hand and digitally, takes and edits photos, sets stones and uses tools including a torch, polisher and hand files.
She has also had to develop skills that might surprise someone interested in an art career.
“In the last decade I've had to learn to be more tech savvy to be able to manage our website and social media marketing,” she said.
In other words, a creative career isn't only about making art. Technology, communication, business and problem-solving can all be part of the job.
Turning someone's story into something they can wear
One of Mindy's favorite parts of jewelry design is creating pieces that have a personal meaning.
For one recent project, a customer brought her diamonds that had belonged to her mother and grandmother. Mindy sketched possible designs, created the ring by hand, set the stones and completed the finishing work.
For Mindy, the most important part wasn't just making a beautiful ring. It was listening to the customer's story.
“Jewelry is a very emotional purchase,” she said. Her job is to take someone's ideas and memories and “create a piece in line with their vision.”
She calls giving older jewelry new life “creative recycling.”
Your first try doesn't have to be a success
One of the most important moments in Mindy's career actually came from an event that didn't go very well.
A friend encouraged her to try selling her jewelry at an art festival. Mindy bought a tent, tables and displays and took her work to an art fair in Iowa City.
Sales were not exactly booming.
For most of the event, her only customers were her mom and a friend.
But near the end of the festival, Mindy met a mother who was looking for an artist to create a deeply personal piece of jewelry for her family. Mindy eventually designed the piece.
That experience changed how she saw the unsuccessful art show.
“I knew that I would not have met this woman nor have made that very personal piece for her, had I not been brave enough to take the step of putting my art out there,” she said.
Sometimes trying something new matters even when it doesn't turn out the way you expected.
Interested in jewelry design or another creative career?
Mindy's advice is simple: start learning and keep practicing.
“Don't be afraid to try new techniques even if you're not good at them at first,” she said. “Repetition is the best way to get better results.”
Young people interested in jewelry design can explore traditional hands-on skills as well as newer technology. Computer-aided design programs are increasingly part of the jewelry industry, creating opportunities for people who enjoy both art and technology.
And don't overlook the people who can help you along the way. Teachers and experienced jewelers played an important role in Mindy's career, beginning with the art teacher who helped a 17-year-old get her first jewelry interview.
The interests you're exploring today may be more than a hobby. They could be the beginning of a career you haven't discovered yet.
Explore your spark: Interested in art, design or creative careers? Use your next 4-H project as a chance to try a new technique, learn from someone in the field or explore how your creative skills could connect to a future career.
