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

Jenny, appreciate you joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

my parents failed me. I know this is common in my generation, so it’s not special, but breaking generational trauma has a huge impact on my life and work. I see the same in my fellow artists and makers, and it’s breathtaking to see my friends break away from the same.

Jenny, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started in 2008 or 2009, selling jewelry on south congress.

I loved the freedom of markets, just connecting with people and the quaint austin makers market circuit we had back then.

later, I got into the cooking industry and began cheffing around town. it gave me a different creative outlet and I was able to make people happy with food.

I loved cooking for people, and I ran a food truck, got my recipes and items on local menus, and was a sous chef of local popular kitchen.

life happened, the pandemic happened, and out of necessity or boredom, I fell back into making jewelry.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

I make everything by hand, from scratch, at my antique desk that is in my dining room at home. the pendants are cut from copper plumbing pipes, and soldered to brass circles that I hand stamp. with the brass, I usually stamp “ATX” a heart, and “JL” (my initials). doing this can be tedious, so i’ll often mix up the process by putting them in different order, replacing the heart with a star, or some other mundane difference, always wondering if someone will notice. maybe one day lol

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

having to leave professional kitchens was really difficult for me, because I felt like I was failing. my health took a really strange dive & I wasn’t able to keep up anymore, so I basically retired early from my cooking career.

working from home wasn’t what I wanted to do, but it was what I knew how to do. I was creative and a go getter. so I just started my own business.

it’s weird to be a small business. there are days you feel like you’re just killin it!! other days, you sit there at a market, and wonder where you went wrong in your life to be such a loser because no one wants to buy your stuff.

but you keep going.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/jennylorrainejewelry
• Other: https://depop.com/jennylorraine