Today’s interview is with mixed media jewelry artist Julee Herrmann, founder of HeArt Collective. Julee lives in the SF Bay Area and can be found teaching classes and spreading her joy of creating to others.
Not only is Julee a Jewelry Making Goddess, she is on the Design Teams of ZNE and Hannah Grey; and a proud member of the California Crafters Club of Etsy (cccoe team). Her work is currently on display at Lafayette Art Gallery, Savvy Seconds in Downtown Pleasanton, CA and Tangerine in Dublin, CA. She has an Etsy shop for those who aren’t local. and will be vending and teaching some Make & Take classes at the ZNE Art, Paper & Pleasantries show May 2 & 3rd in Dublin, CA. You can read more about what she’s up to on her blog .
How did you start doing jewelry (or bead making) as a business?
I started selling my work when my dear 4 year old little girl asked me, “Mommy, how are you going to wear all of those necklaces?” and at first I really tried to say that I have lots of outfits and I would manage to wear them all at once or a little at a time, but when people kept stopping me and asking me if I sold them I finally got the hint and started selling them at a craft fair in Pleasanton just about a year and a half ago. I also started an Etsy shop at about the same time and have expanded into selling at a few local dress shops, a charming gallery in downtown Lafayette, CA and a gift shop called Tangerine!
Do you remember the first piece of jewelry you ever made?
The FIRST first FIRST piece of jewelry I ever made was a necklace made from Vintage (although I don’t think I called it THAT!) wallpaper. My paternal grandmother taught me how to make wallpaper beads and then string them together like a strand of pearls and I was HOOKED and I still have one! I made some last year and finished them with UTEE… too cool!
You are stuck on a desert island for a year and can only take 5 things to make jewelry with-what would you take?
Just for fun…If I were on a deserted island some place perfect and fabulous and I could only have 5 art supplies they would be:
1: Solar powered Soldering Kit including glass (I say the whole kit is really one supply – like that?), 2: Dries Clear Glue from Art Institute,3: Art Institute GLITTER (duh!), 4: water colors (I could make my own brushes… well, I *COULD*),5: caulking (you should try it, you may LOVE it!)
What material would you like to work with/or what skill would you like to learn that you haven’t yet?
I would like to learn more metalsmithing type work… I would LOVE to learn to make a bezel, I would love to learn the type of soldering that you do with a torch.
What do you do when you aren’t making jewelry?
When I’m working, but not making jewelry I am making tiny shrines, teaching workshops on soldering and shrine making, blogging, editing photos and “networking” (a.k.a. Feeding the Facebook addiction) LOL I’m also the wife to a charming young man and Mommy to a brilliant, darling, UBER TALENTED 5 ¾ year old kiddo (not that I’m biased or anything:) and volunteering at her school. In my free time I try to get the laundry fairy to fold the clothes!
Thank you for the interview Julee and letting Craft Gossip readers get to know you a bit better!
nice idea. Really good post.
It’s so classy …