Join the mailing list be the first to know about new jewelry and art, classes, and writing!
I was looking over my Instagram posts from the last year (I blame the end of year/end of decade reflection madness) and couldn’t help but noticing 1. that it’s been almost a year since I had to relocate my studio and 2. how funny it was that I seemed to think I would have the garden studio fixed by now.
Since it has been almost a year since I moved studio spaces, I thought it was only fair to do another update! (You can read the last one here.)
The Boss Profiles is a weekly series featuring women entrepreneurs, artists, and creative business owners who make a statement in Megan Auman Jewelry. This week I’m featuring my friend and fellow creative teacher, Amber Kane.
An art teacher turned entrepreneur, Amber currently runs The Unstandardized Standard, where she shares creativity tips for art educators and teaches online art courses.
This one was a hard one for me as I’m working on making transitions in my business and reimaging what I do and offer. The core of what I do and have always done is about empowerment. While I’m taking a break from textile design, when I did make one-of-a-kind handwoven scarves it was about creating pieces that made women feel powerful, giving them the confidence to step forward and fully show up.
In the teaching that I do, as well as the work that I’m transitioning into, it’s still all about empowerment. My business teaches people how to think in creative ways. I’m the most proud when my students transition from coming to me for answers, to finding answers on their own, and taking ownership.
Last week (or maybe it was the week before, it’s all starting to blur together), I released a new batch of Contra Collection rings that were hiding in my studio. And I thought it would be fun to do an elegant photoshoot with some winter foliage, like this one from last month.
And while some of the photos did turn out that way, I also was clearly feeling a little extra (as evidenced by this first pic) and decided to roll with it! Which gives you a behind the scenes glimpse into a creative business owner who’s clearly feeling a little much as the holidays set in!
The Boss Profiles is a weekly series featuring women entrepreneurs, artists, and creative business owners who make a statement in Megan Auman Jewelry. I couldn’t be more excited to kick off the series with Brigitte Lyons, who is not only a kickass business owner, but also a really great friend.
Brigitte is the founder of Podcast Ally, a service that matches guest experts with amazing podcasts. And I can say from experience that she is damn good at her job, as her company has placed me on many, many podcasts! So without further adieu, I’ll turn things over to Brigitte:
I had to answer this question last! It’s so funny how difficult it is to brag about ourselves.
My business is great, because it supports my family and allows my husband and I to travel as much as we’d like. This is quite a lot — we’re moving into a travel trailer in the spring to travel around North America!
Beyond this, I’ve been able to create a company ethos that is based on my values around caretaking, excellence and leadership, in an industry (public relations) where that can be difficult.
I consider myself a Marimekko fan (I may have gone to three stores in one morning when their collab with Target dropped a few years ago) so I was pretty excited about their new collab with Uniqlo. My favorite thing from that launch? This wonderfully patterned winter puffer jacket.
And how perfect was it that it snowed literally the morning after my new coat showed up! It was the perfect excuse to grab a few of my Contra Collection rings and head outside for a photoshoot!
I’ve been a little seasonally confused ever since my trip to Nevis in October. So while it’s now December (how did that happen?!?) and everyone else seems to be getting into the winter and holiday spirit, I’m still clinging to the last traces of fall.
Last week I headed to New York City for Jewelry Week. But before I got down to some serious jewelry seeing, I had to make a trip to see the Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room at David Zwirner Gallery. It was my first time seeing a Yayoi Infinity Room in person, and while I wished I could have stayed in longer (entry was very strictly time) it was still a pretty great experience.
And then of course, I couldn’t resist taking a pic of one of my Contra Collection rings in front of another work by Kusama.
Who needs Black Friday when you can have Noir Friday?!? I just released a new batch of one of a kind Contra Noir rings and necklaces in my online store. I love these dark stones and so do my customers. The stone above is actually already sold out (a good reason why you should join my mailing list, so you always get first dibs on new releases) but you can shop the remaining pieces in my online store now!
This weekend I went to visit my brother in Delaware, and while I was there he emerged from the yard with a bunch of tree trimmings and suggested we do an impromptu photoshoot. (It’s not as weird as it sounds, he’s a photographer and video marketer, so coming up with cool photoshoot ideas is what he does for a living!) So I grabbed one of my Contra Collection rings and this was the result:
Now that it’s starting to turn cold here, I’m feeling the need to turn my studio into even more of an urban jungle, inspired by my recent trip to Nevis and the gorgeous gardens there. (Though can you call your plant collection an “urban” jungle if you technically live in the country?)
Most of these plants started as a backdrop for this video, but have since ended up in my studio, as close to my workbench as possible! (While still allowing me to get out!)