We were lucky to catch up with Corri Riebow recently and have shared our conversation below.

Corri , appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I first started making jewelry from kits so there were step by step instructions, but as I branched out using different techniques, there was a lot of trial and error. When I first started making jewelry there wasn’t as much on the internet as there is today so I used to subscribe to a few different jewelry magazines and that was how I learned to increase my skill set. There weren’t really any classes in my area for jewelry work and that could have been helpful back then but I was able to learn at my own pace which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Now I teach classes so that others can learn the joy of making jewelry too!

Corri , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been an artist all my life and have been making jewelry for the last 15+ years. I started my business, Paris Creek Jewelry, in 2010 because my friends, family and coworkers loved what I was making and wanted to purchase pieces. My business name came from the creek that runs one entire length of my property and if you look at my work, you can see that nature is a huge influence.
I have had the honor and privilege of making custom jewelry for hundreds….maybe even into the thousands now…of people to commemorate their special milestones in life. From birth to death and every memorable moment in between, I have made a one of a kind piece of jewelry to celebrate and honor that occasion.
I ask questions during the custom ordering process to determine exactly what type of jewelry you would like me to make and then source the materials if I don’t already have them on hand.
Copper is my go-to metal but I do love working with sterling silver as well. Creating memorable, one of a kind jewelry with metal and stone is what I love to do!

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I have been fortunate to have gained a supportive group of followers on social media and many have turned into customers and custom clients over the years. Of course, jewelry is a luxury not a necessity so sometimes purchasing a new piece of jewelry just isn’t in the budget.
This is where sharing and engaging on social media can come into play. Today’s Facebook and Instagram algorithms can be kind of a drag so it’s always, always greatly appreciated when someone takes a few seconds out of their day to leave a comment on an artist’s post or to share it. You have no idea how much that helps!
It’s always great to get some fresh eyes on our products and it shows that you trust and love our brand.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Many of us feel like we aren’t good enough so we exhaust ourselves keeping up appearances and trying to be perfect. Making jewelry has taught me to embrace mistakes and throw the idea of perfection out the window (something I always tell my students when they take my classes).
My jewelry is made by my own two hands. I’m a person and I am most certainly not perfect. As I have gotten older I finally realize that I don’t have to be because the only person I need to compete with is myself. Sometimes a mistake is too obvious and that piece ends up in an “oops” pile where it may be repurposed at some point. But tiny mistakes….those show that a piece was made by hand and I hope my customers will embrace those like I do.
My business motto for the last few years has been to “Seek beauty, not perfection on your journey through life.”.      

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pariscreekjewelry.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/pariscreekjewelry
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/pariscreekjewelry
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/pariscreekjewelry

Image Credits
Corri Riebow