JENI JAQUES

Jeni Jaques is an amazing designer who creates unique handcraft jewelry pieces. Her work is creative and inspiring.
When I come across someone that is as creative as she is. I find it difficult to write a story on how they got to where they are and I feel it is better to have they tell their story themselves. As my mom would say "It's better to hear the story out of a horses owns mouth because only they can tell their story correctly."

So, hears Jeni Jaques story.

My name is Jeni Jaques and I'm a 27 year-old New York native - born and raised. My father {the largest source of inspiration in my life} was an artist, poet and musician... just generally very creative, conscious and intuitive... kind-of a hippie type. From a young age I was made aware that it was important to be open, responsible, aware of my own impact on the world and to try to create - no matter what the outcome. I've always loved fashion - when all of my friends were reading Tiger Beat or whatever, I was picking through Vogue and Harper's and frequenting vintage shops and thrift stores. I've always felt that fashion and art are synonymous. I ended up at FIT and majored in Fashion Design; sadly, I didn't graduate, but I've been making my own clothes for years. I absolutely love vintage and antique items - from an aesthetic point of view as well as a green one. So many beautifully and artfully crafted items - clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture - why put them to waste? I love the patina that occurs naturally on something that's decades old. I love the sense of history... the mystery of where a piece originated, the journey it's been on to end up in my hands as well as the continuance as someone else new piece of jewelry. About 4 years ago my grandmother passed away. I was the last female in the family to go through her jewelry box {I should say boxes - she was an over-the-top glamor queen who wore stilettos until the very end and had baubles like you wouldn't believe!}. It was all costume at that point - and no one in my family knew what to do with any of it: vintage rhinestone brooches, Sarah Coventry, Napier, Monet. I think I'm the only 'vintage baby' in the family and naturally, I rejoiced at the box, but it was far too much to wear or store. I'm an artist, so I figured that if I could make the pieces more modern, stylish and wearable that this could be a new outlet for my creativity... I made my first few pieces and thought that it would be a hobby; something I could do to create unique pieces of jewelry for myself and as gifts for friends. Then in June of 2006 my father passed away. everything stopped, and I didn't do much while I was grieving. After a while - spending a lot of time at home - I started to create pieces as something to keep me busy and keep my mind off of things. I started creating these crazy statement pieces and thought about their purpose... I wanted to do something with my life that could both honor my father's influence {the low-impact lifestyle} as well as sustain me creatively. Harlow In Chains was born! The pieces are not for the faint of heart - my perspective is to recycle beauty and make it relevant. I consider balance, rhythm, energy, color. I try to re-use nearly every piece of anything I purchase or find. I'll spend hours searching antique shops, estate sales, yard sales and thrift shops to find what I need. It's all born out of my need to create, to be responsible and try to make green living - sustainable living - fashionable. Being stylish doesn't mean you have to add to new mass-production. My pieces can range from simple and pretty - an antique chandelier prism on a delicate sterling chain with an ornate antique clasp, to bold and over-the-top - my 'Antique Asymmetry' necklaces featuring chunky chains draped asymmetrically or huge vintage chandelier trapezoid bracelets. I'm after the girl who likes her style with a side of edge and irreverence; the girl who likes to be expressive when dressing and creates her own trends, not follows them. All of my pieces are one-of-a-kind. I do commissioned pieces, and will create something similar, but not identical to a previous piece if it's requested. I know I like the idea of having something that doesn't exist elsewhere in the world, and I know a lot of women who feel the same way. If I can be creative, speak to these women and also help to add a new face to the green movement, then I'll feel satisfied. :)

To purchase her jewelry, check her out at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=69572