Life & Work with Sarah Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Johnson.

Hi Sarah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I never considered myself an artist until I started pursuing a hobby of making jewelry in 2009. I began simply, by assembling chains, charms, and beads that I found at my local craft store at my kitchen table, but quickly found my interests changing.

I wanted to learn to create more metalwork art and fabricate pieces that were a bit more substantial. I was a little intimidated to learn to use a torch and more complex tools but found my curiosity stronger than the fear. I started researching metalworking techniques and collecting tools and materials to experiment with. I took a few basic metals classes at a local jewelry supply store and fell in love

I decided I wanted to pursue metalwork as a career and dove in! I began a long journey of finding my stride as an artist, figuring out my design style, and learning as much as I could to advance my skill set. I melted a lot of silver. I found the wrong way to do a lot of things. Through this experimentation and practice, I found confidence in working with metal that I am grateful for today.

Since starting my career in jewelry design, I have created hundreds of heirloom quality jewelry pieces, traveled the United States showing in art shows and festivals, and taught countless students how to create jewelry for themselves.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to get where I am has not been smooth. When I first started, I had a great product to sell but didn’t have a clue how to sell the items. I took bad photos, built a subpar website, and attended shows and markets that were not well-suited for my business. I made mistakes in ordering metals that cost me money, I pursued wholesale accounts for all the wrong reasons.

I learned a hundred lessons along the way and almost all of them cost me money or time, sometimes both. I went through some personal struggles and a divorce that caused me to lose my motivation for a while. Everyone’s journey is hard, mine is no different. The love of the craft and a passion for the business keep me pushing forward because I cannot imagine doing anything else.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In the art community, I am known as the “metal girl”. I use semi-precious stones in a lot of my designs, but I enjoy working with different metals most of all. Something I am particularly proud of is how unique my customers find my designs. I often hear that people haven’t seen anything like my style of art and that makes me happy. To create art in a popular field like jewelry, it can be hard to stand out.

I use modern lines and simple shapes to create a sleek line of pieces that can range from the every day to bold and special. I like my accessories to make a statement and you will find a lot of unique designs in my collection. I do not think I am the most skilled metalsmith out there, but I strive to improve my craft all the time and feel that my style is the thing that sets me apart from the rest.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
The number one thing I can suggest to anyone in any field is to ask questions. Sometimes it can be nerve-wracking to approach someone more advanced than you in your field, but everyone has to start somewhere. I emailed and approached several artists asking for advice when I was getting started.

When I attend art shows, I always walk around and speak to other artists and make friends. Even people who aren’t in the same medium as me have so much knowledge to share. You can learn something from everyone and so asking questions can open up so many conversations.

Contact Info:

• Website: sarahsonder.com
• Instagram: @sarahsonder
• Facebook: @sarahsonder
• Other: tiktok.com/@sarahsonder

Image Credits
Headshot by Laurence Lee