We were lucky to catch up with Jenny Dirks recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jenny thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Although I’ve been surrounded by many generous people, there’s one particular instance that stands out., especially in those early days of my jewelry journey.

I was still pretty new, selling my work on Etsy. I remember sharing somewhere that I rarely kept any of my pieces…this was how I made a living, so everything I made went out the door.

I had just launched a small collection, and when I woke up the next morning, it had sold out., but one order caught my attention.

There was a note my customer had left that said, “Do not ship.”

She had bought one of my pieces…for me. To this day, I’ll never forget how that felt.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I never planned to start an artisan jewelry business, it just happened.

A few years back, I came across a video of a silversmith making a ring. There aren’t many times I’ve felt this so clearly, but I immediately knew I had to learn how to do it.

At the time, I was living on Vancouver Island. I would spend my days walking the beaches, finding sea glass and beach stones, and I started turning them into jewelry. At first it was just for me…a way to stay connected to the places I loved.

It really started with something simple. I saw a small piece of glass catching the light in the sand. What some people would walk right past, I couldn’t stop thinking about. That piece of sea glass had spent years in the ocean, shaped by the water before finding its way back to shore.

I began making pieces I could wear every day. Sea glass, coastal textures, beach stones…little reminders I could carry with me.

And then I sold one.

What I didn’t expect was how people responded. They would tell me it brought them back to the coast, or reminded them of a place they loved. That’s when I realized this was something more than just making jewelry.

A few years later, I moved back home to the Oregon Coast. At first, I felt a bit lost. I had been so connected to Vancouver Island, and sea glass wasn’t as easy to find here. But I kept walking along the beaches and through the forest and slowly, I started to see this place differently.

I began collecting textures instead of just materials. Moss, lichen, ferns, sand, shore pine…all the small details that most people walk past. I started pressing those textures into silver and building pieces that felt like this place where the forest meets the sea.

Today, I create handcrafted silver jewelry using real textures from the Oregon Coast, along with genuine ocean-tumbled sea glass and stones. Each piece is made slowly, by hand, in my studio.

What sets my work apart is that it’s not just inspired by these places…it’s made from them.

My pieces are for people who feel most at home near the ocean, or under a canopy of trees. For the ones who notice the small details. For the ones who want something they can wear that brings them back to those places, even when they’re not there.

One of my most loved pieces, *She Holds the Tide*, came from a real sand dollar I found here on the Oregon Coast. It’s a simple idea, but it carries a lot of meaning, It’s something steady to hold onto, no matter what the tide is doing.

What I’m most proud of is hearing from my customers. When someone tells me they wear their piece every day, or that it reminds them of home…that’s everything to me.

At the end of the day, I’m just someone who started making jewelry because I didn’t want to lose that connection to the places I love.

And now, I get to create pieces that help others hold onto that too.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being a jewelry artist is the connection.

It’s the people who really get what I’m doing. The ones who see my pieces, feel something, and understand why it matters.

When someone chooses one of my pieces, it’s not just about buying jewelry. It means they value the work, the time, and the meaning behind it.

I love hearing from customers who tell me it reminds them of a place they love, or that they wear it every day. That connection, knowing something I made has become part of their life, is the part I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

At first, like a lot of creatives, I just wanted to make. That was the whole focus.

But pretty quickly I realized that if I wanted to keep doing this and make a living from it, I had to start thinking like a business owner too. That part didn’t come naturally to me at all.

What made the biggest difference wasn’t a book or a course, it was finding the right kind of support.
Working with Robyn Clark Coaching and being part of a community of other jewelry artists changed everything for me. It helped me see my business in a different way and to begin building something that actually feels sustainable.

I think that’s been the biggest shift. Realizing you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mossrockmetals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mossrockmetals/

Image Credits

All images are my own.