I recently had the opportunity to go on SLOWMADE PODCAST and talk about my work, the process and business.

Hosted by Christine Mighion, we talk about the long game of being a working artist — the beauty, the exhaustion, the pivots, and what happens when your priorities start to shift.

Listen to Ep 93: Janine DeCresenzo - Playing the Long Game as a Working Artist (Art Shows, Business Shifts & Sustainability)

I am excited to share that I recently completed my first podcast interview!

I was invited to be a guest on The Independent Artist Podcast by my friend and the co-host, mixed media artist Will Armstrong. Although I initially declined the invitation years ago, I finally felt ready to share my story.

You can listen to it here: Picking Up the Pieces/ Janine DeCresenzo

I've been thinking a lot about Bucket Lists. You know...like the movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. SO I made one, a genuine one, with a few realistic items and a few wild reaching goals. While I probably won't be riding an elephant this year, I was able to cross this one o! my list.... I attended the Tucson Gem Show!

While I've been to quite a few gem shows in my life, the Tucson Gem Show was definitely an event I wanted to experience first hand. For those of you that don’t know about this magical Winter Event, the "Tucson Gem Show" consists of nearly 50 shows sprawled throughout the City. Exhibitors come from all around the world to showcase and sell their goods. It’s a Mecca of unique museum-quality exhibits, gemstones, specimens and minerals. The shows range from super fine high end precious gems to the world's largest meteorite or a five-foot-tall geode.

Part of the mystery and beauty of handmade jewelry is just that.. it's handmade. Tools can be used, but when human hands hold an object, examining every angle for hours, days, or even weeks, magic happens. The creation becomes an extension of the maker. Emotions, challenges, discoveries, epiphanies, pride, all come into play. The same cannot be said for machine-made and -produced products.

I find the act of creating just as enjoyable as seeing the finished piece. With that in mind, I want to share more of the processes and behind the scenes with you.

I know..It’s been far too long since I’ve reached out via email. Every time I get one together, another shocking World event happens and I feel silly talking about jewelry. In this New Year, I’m just jumping in! Even if tomorrow is crazy, I must say HELLO today!

This past year, I have been learning and practicing some new skills. Jewelry photography and computer editing has been on top of my list. If we cannot meet yet in person, it's my job to photograph every angle and tiny detail, so you feel as if you are holding the jewelry piece examining it yourself.

What are you at your core? What drives you? Why do you aspire to do what you do?

An article in the April-May edition of Entrepreneur Magazine on the power team of Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia poses these exact questions. Reading them switched a flip for me and I immediately ran to grab my journal in an attempt to define my answers.

I’ve been making jewelry and selling it for roughly twenty years. I identify as a jewelry maker. I always have. I am my work and my jewelry is my identity. But, how can this be? If I didn’t make jewelry, wouldn’t I still be myself?

I have a new life change that recently happened. This past May I got married… Yes… I am now a wifey (I love saying that) and I have a husband that I adore. As magical as your wedding day is, we ALL know that planning and preparing for a wedding can be stressful and really try your patience at times. One of my tasks was to make my now husband Rich a wedding band. Easy task for a jeweler you say.. Nope!

The first show of the year for me is ACC Baltimore. It is a grandiose and prestigious show to exhibit in. I remember visiting it with my jewelry class in college thinking…wow… this is AMAZING!!! SO many artists coming together in one show, it’s a visual explosion and site to behold. I’m thrilled to be accepted and this year will be exhibiting in both wholesale and retail. This means for 2 days galleries and boutiques come to place orders and buy our work. The following 3 days the show becomes a bustling retail mecca and thousands of people pour in to peruse and purchase the handmade original art.