Jewelry can make or break an outfit, but it isn't just an accessory, it's also an art form. Senior Emma Becker spends her spare time making original jewelry.
Becker has been creating jewelry for the past four years. She started with beaded rings in freshman year and since then has taken jewelry classes, as well as tried new techniques to allow her to experiment with new styles.
After taking a break from art during middle school, Becker rediscovered her passion when she came across a video of someone making rings on social media. She started simple, but she was able to try out new styles and techniques the more she worked and pursued jewelry.
“I’ve always thought that jewelry was super cool, but I never would’ve expected that I would be making my own,” Becker said. “I’ve always liked to thrift jewelry and find cool and unique pieces and now I can make cool and unique pieces myself.”
Becker doesn’t conform herself to a certain style, she’s always looking to put unexpected flare to anything she designs.
Rings and earrings are her favorites to make, but Becker does a little bit of everything. She’s made bracelets, necklaces, and even keychains and rear-view mirror accessories.
Becker's inspiration often comes from her surroundings or things she enjoys. Her grandma is one of her best friends and also plays a large role in her work.
“My grandma is always looking forward to getting new pieces from me,” Becker said. “I’ll make her stuff for her birthday or Christmas or things like that. She’s always so supportive of everything I make and she’s always so impressed with everything. It just pushes me to make more.”
Becker's independence is reflected in her work. Her goal is to make something unique and original.
“I aim to make things that I’ve never seen before,” Becker said. “I don’t want to make a project that looks like everyone else's. My inspiration is to make something that’s different and stands out.”
One of her most recent projects was a wired necklace with small links on the chain, which was also one of her most difficult. She was getting frustrated with making the necklace, but, Becker continued with the project and is proud of the final result.
“It was very tedious to make,” Becker said. “I was getting really sick of making these tiny little pieces but I kept going and finally finished the necklace and now it looks awesome.”
Perseverance is a good attribute to have, especially when working with jewelry. Art teacher Irene Sipe has known Becker since she was in Elementary school but has gotten the opportunity to grow her relationship with Becker over the last few years of Becker being at the high school. Sipe admires Becker's work ethic as well as her independent nature.
“Her craft is very refined and she really takes her time,” Sipe said. “She’s very independent. She doesn’t always get a ton of daily feedback from me but she’s really good at finding a concept that she wants to explore. She tries it, and if it doesn’t work, she tries something else. She’s very productive and works really hard.”
Becker’s current project involves her trying something new. Her main focus has been on making jewelry, but lately, she has been looking into incorporating clay into her designs.
“I’m making a pair of ceramic earrings which isn’t something that I usually do,” Becker said. “I’ve never taken a ceramics class before, but it's something that I’m working on.”
Becker is currently in Advanced Portfolio, which is an independent-style art class. Students apply for the class with an idea of what they’re going to work on ahead of time. Generally, they’ll work on their own, which can be challenging for some, but Becker's independent nature allows her to thrive.
“I kinda just do my own thing and work on the projects that I want to work on,” Becker said. “I have lots of room for creativity.”
Becker’s journey with art started all the way back in Elementary school where she fell in love with painting and drawing. She’d love to experiment with other mediums, but Jewelry is her main focus.
“I really like the aspect of jewelry being a 3D art form,” Becker said. “I feel like there’s a lot more room to be creative, and I also think that you’re not just limited to one material. For example, in ceramics, you’re just working with clay but with jewelry, you can work with wire, string, metal, all kinds of different materials.”
Working with jewelry allows lots of creativity with the large variety of materials that can be used.
“Once I find my inspiration for a piece I want to start, I’ll get a picture in my head and I kinda just lose track of time,” Becker said. “Time just goes by so fast and I get in the zone and get so focused the entire time I’m working on it. I just tune out the rest of the world.”
Becker often repurposes her failed projects into something new. Her mindset is to make something she loves and to continue working with it till it's the way she wants it.
“My advice for anyone wanting to start jewelry is to go for it,” Becker said. “Even if you mess something up, there’s always a way to alter it.”