Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Henry and Brian Henry.
Jessica, Brian, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I have always loved art, jewelry and crafting. When I was a little kid, I was obsessed with making those little beaded hemp bracelets in the 90’s. Yeah, I think I still have a couple if anyone needs a 90’s flashback! When I was in high school, I worked at a bead supply store and loved learning all the techniques my coworkers taught me. I loved making wire wrapped rings and participated in a couple local craft shows while in college.
Brian and I married in 2008 and shortly after, spent all of our money (no regrets!) backpacking around Europe for a few months. When we got back, we decided to move from my hometown in Southern California to McKinney. Brian encouraged me to pursue creating jewelry full time. So, I learned everything I could about selling online and started an Etsy shop!
One day, I was in a local bead store and saw a rusting metal stamping set in the corner. Grabbed it on a whim and starting hammering away at home, making our first stamped personalized ring. Our first holiday season was a little crazy and Brian would often come home to stacks of packages all over and multiple post office runs to make. Less than a year later, Brian took the leap and quit his job so he could help me full time. Now, we work and create together. Brian takes care of all the metal work and I personalize and hand stamp. It has been 10 years and I can’t believe this is my life, creating art with my husband and our two little boys running around us. It’s been hard but amazing!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
We make personalized hand stamped/engraved jewelry. We create a variety of pieces that all have different processes but they all start the same! We order huge sheets of metal that Brian cuts down into more manageable pieces. Then, he cuts/punches them into blanks for me to stamp and personalize. We are inspired by books, movies, music, and our customers. We’re currently working on a bunch of pieces for the current wedding season. I love indirectly being a part of such a momentous occasion for our customers, sending off gifts for groomsmen and bridesmaids. Sometimes we receive feedback later of how the gifts were received and pictures and it truly propels and inspires us forward. We pour our hearts into our work and we hope our customers love their pieces.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
Budget and set goals!
If your art is your sole income, define what you need to live on and what you need to create your art. Then, you can create a budget. It’ll help reduce the temptation to spend a little extra here and there and instead, reallocate it or save. Setting monetary goals will also help define your budget further. Having a goal will give you a better idea of what to do with your money, when you make it. Any goals, monetary or artistic, will inspire you to work towards awesome things, that you might never have pushed yourself to accomplish otherwise.
Budgeting is vital for us because our income fluctuates seasonally. Our busy months are the months prior to major gift giving holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas. Budgeting helps us plan ahead for the slower, less lucrative months.
Also, little tip! Check your material and supply costs every few months to see if there are cheaper options available. For example, I have been buying shipping labels from one company for years (years!) and just found them almost 50% cheaper on Amazon.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
We sell our pieces on our website, Etsy, and Amazon. Locally, we try to do 1-3 craft shows in the spring and during the holiday season. The best way to support our work is to create a personalized piece with us! Also, we would love it if you shared to and share on social media (instagram.com/tesorojewelry and facebook.com/tesorojewelry).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tesorojewelry.com
- Email: tesorojewelryart@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tesorojewelry
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/tesorojewelry
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/tesoro_jewelry
- Other: tesorojewelry.etsy.com
Image Credit:
Pictures were provided by us, Tesoro Jewelry.
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