Meet Dawn of S.IN. Industries
I consider myself lucky to work in a creative environment where women sketch silver charms, talented silversmiths bring them to life, and jewelry designers use them to make beautiful jewelry. Sometimes I even get an insider’s glimpse into the lives of jewelry designers when I meet them at tradeshows and talk to them over the phone. These little glimpses often fill me with inspiration and get me all pumped up to start a little side business of my own. Today I thought I’d share this inspiration with you by introducing Dawn Floen of S.IN. Jewelry.
Dawn is a successful jewelry designer living in Alberta, Canada. She is also a retired visual art teacher and a hobby photographer who enjoys finding and repurposing antiques from flea markets & yard sales. Her favorite holiday is scuba diving in Australia. And, her favorite bead buddy is her pomeranian, JJ, who loves to lounge on his pillow right next to her workbench. What’s really neat is how Dawn has integrated all her favorite activities into her daily life. Way to go Dawn! Thanks for sharing your story.
If you can remember, describe the first piece of jewelry you made. Do you still have it?
I started creating jewelry in 2006. It’s my friend’s fault. She was wearing a new beaded watch that I adored. I asked where she’d gotten it, and promptly went to the website. After seeing the prices, I decided I could make my own. After all, I was an art teacher. I can do this! So, I started where so many of us do. I went to Michael’s. I bought a few beads and supplies and made my first watch. It had teal ocean-coloured lampwork beads and pewter accent beads. And, yes, I still have it.
Before I knew it, I had a desk covered with hundreds of dollars of supplies. Then I started finding beads on ebay. Soon my husband pointed out that I had more than enough jewelry for one person and since I wasn’t going to stop creating any time soon, he suggested I start selling my creations. Soon after, Sunshine INdustries was born. I discovered Nina Designs a bit later when I graduated to precious metals and I’ve never looked back. I now have a large studio, an etsy shop, a website, a blog and enough supplies and tools to keep me going for years!
What has been your greatest success?
While my initial success was beaded watches, I have since developed a love for silver clay. I used to sculpt in clay, so this was a natural transition for me. I can make almost any shape a person would want. I’ve made a t-bird for a car club enthusiast, dog bones & cats for SPCA auctions, and purses, high-heels, and family trees for moms. Recently, I decided to make personalized jewelry with silver stamping charms for friends and family. At first, I feared the personalized mommy pendant market might be saturated, but it’s really taken off and has become my most successful line. So these days I do more special order work than anything else. I get orders from all over Canada and the US. When I ask customers how they found me, they usually say they googled “mom jewelry” and say my jewelry designs stood out from the rest. I think the Nina Designs sterling silver chain I use in this line is a big part of why they stand out. I also texture the back and put a lot of time into filing, hammering and polishing each pendant. I have a tumbler, but I like polishing by hand. It puts more heart into each piece.
Where do you find inspiration?
Antiques are a big influence on my work. I find beauty in abandoned buildings, particularly doorways and windows. I am drawn to abandoned worn-out vehicles with wiring popping out where headlights should be. I can’t resist the chipped paint and rough textures. I believe things touched by human hands take on a life of their own, and tell their own stories. My studio is full of antique furniture and décor. In fact, my workbench is an antique table, my beads hang from an old wooden spool holder, and I store my antique tools in vintage jars. An old gallon jar with a fish, named Leonardo da Fishy (my students named him), sits on my workbench, combining my two biggest influences – antiques and the ocean. I can’t imagine my workspace without an aquarium. The ocean became my muse when I first tried scuba diving in Cairns, Australia. It was an amazing, life-changing experience. The corals and sea life speak to my soul in a way nothing else can. If you look at my designs, you will see ocean influences everywhere.
How did you name your business?
Well, my first boss in high school gave me the nickname Sunshine, and it’s stuck with me over the years. In the beginning my business was Sunshine Industries. SINjewelry came from me constantly shortening “Sunshine INdustries” to S.IN on my “to do” lists. Since many PR studies say you should have what you do in your name, I decided to add “jewelry” and renamed my line. It’s shorter to write. It’s also an inside joke – ordering supplies for my company is my current “sin” . . . it used to be shoes.
What is one piece of trusted advice you would give to someone just starting their jewelry business?
Ask lots of questions! I have taken some metal smith and metal clay classes, but when I first started, I asked a lot of questions online to others who design jewelry. They have never failed to help and I’ve never forgotten that. Helping each other only makes each of us stronger. My first helpers were mostly beaders and jewelers on Twitter. I’ve since joined blogs such as www.ganoksin.com and I blog myself. There is a wealth of information out there and a ton of very helpful people who have been where you are. Don’t be afraid to google and to ask! There are also many good quality and free videos out there on youtube.
Dawn's Studio
Mommy Bling by S.IN. Industries
Thank you, Juanita, for the fabulous opportunity to be featured on your blog. It’s a huge honor! Notice the use of your gorgeous sterling chain on the Mommy Bling necklace photo? : )
Dawn
Sunshine INdustries/S.IN.jewelry
Comment by Dawn — June 3, 2011 @ 1:39 pm