We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Pyles a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
The pivotal moment is quite vivid. I’d been invited to exhibit my jewelry at World Cafe Live, an independent music venue in Philadelphia for a friend’s performance. To my surprise, I ended up selling the most expensive and elaborate piece in my collection! It was a large breast-plate style necklace, crafted from repurposed gold belt links and reassembled with wire-wrapped stones. It was incredibly validating that someone would not only spend that kind of money on my work, but that she would actually rock the piece loudly and proudly. My art inspired her self-expression. I felt a sense of purpose and inspiration at once, and suddenly realized I may be able to express my creativity for a living.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut; as an adolescent, a fashion designer. But as an adult, I just want to be left to my own devices. My rock exhibit’s success in the Kindergarten science fair was surely an indicator of a future in jewelry. That, and having been a “shiny thing” hoarder from birth.
My professional gem journey officially began in Philadelphia in 2009 when I dabbled in beadwork as a therapeutic pastime. It was the whimsical construction of costume jewelry that laid the foundation for a future in finer work. With a B.A in Advertising and enough restaurant experience to write a best-seller on its horrors, I pivoted in my 20s and vowed to follow a sparklier dream.
With no MFA or fancy studio education, I am an entirely self-taught metalsmith and jewelry designer. I credit a stint on Jeweler’s Row for a realistic taste of jeweling retail, and my absolute disdain for punching another’s clock for pushing me into entrepreneurship. Trial and error, failures and success, and the most supportive family in history have made it all possible.
My work merges geometric forms with storied gemstones to create conceptual expressions of my bicoastal life. Handcrafted in Napa, CA using metalsmithing techniques, each limited-edition collection draws inspiration from the extravagance of high fashion and the geological fairytales within natural stones.
Rooted in its East Coast foundation of strength and structure, my work has evolved over the past decade in Napa Valley to reflect a subtle infusion of nature’s elegance. When I moved out west, Napa Valley’s countryside took hold of my heart and made an undeniable impact on my designs. As I began integrating baroque pearls and unusual stones into my pieces, the polarity between ‘woman-made’ and ‘nature-made’ amplified.
It is the interplay between geometric precision and organic whimsy that defines my collection, making it unmistakably distinct. My pieces can’t help but spark conversations and encourage the fearless self-expression of the unconventional jewelry lover.
In addition to being self-taught, I am most proud of the design awards I have won in Beverly Hills and NYC, along with my features in leading jewelry industry magazines such as INSTORE and JCK.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
FREE TIME. — Actually this is a misnomer, because time isn’t free. Time is money, and anything labeled as “free” is often too good to be true. With that being said, what I mean by free time is my ability to USE MY TIME however I see fit. This is both blessing and a curse, as I’m sure many business owners would attest. It can be incredibly liberating and profitable if used wisely, and on the other hand, incredibly costly if not.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Yes, I am pivoting right now! Retail is spiraling, and not in the right direction. In years past, I could set up a booth at an art show or trade event and bank on lucrative revenue, which would more than justify my marketing expenses. Now more than ever, folks are reluctant to fork over their dough on “luxury artisan goods”, especially when they don’t understand the value and “can just get it on Amazon”.
I promise there is nothing like my work sold on Amazon, but my point is the consumer mindset has shifted. Instead of treading water, and trying to change their minds, I am pivoting my marketing from primarily in-person events to occupy a more digital presence. I plan on starting a YouTube channel and doing Lives on Instagram and TikTok to not only discuss and sell my work, but to show “behind-the-scenes” footage with an instructional approach.
Maybe I’m late to the game on this, but high production filming wasn’t an option in my old workspace and I am moving into a new studio in a couple weeks. Now seems like the perfect time to launch a new business model.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amycpyles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy_c_pyles_jewelry/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-c-pyles/
