We recently connected with James Bowden and have shared our conversation below.

James, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

At the age of 11, I knew I wanted to be an artist. Adults, looking for conversation, would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. My response was that I wanted to be an artist, an archaeologist, a paleontologist, a biologist, a park ranger, and a vet. They would chuckle and explain that I could not be all of those things and would have to pick just one. As it turned out, they were mostly wrong, because I have worked professionally as all of these, in my adult life, except for the vet (which I fulfilled with a job by working with animals). It wasn’t until I was 47 years old, that I started my own business that encompassed my art work. It is with all of my prior job interests and experiences which have formed the basis of my jewelry creations, that revolve around the stories in the rocks, fossils, plants, animals, and history.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My artwork has been influenced by a lifetime of exploring the outdoors in Southern California, both through my work as a paleontologist for 20 years, and in following my passions for archaeology, history, biology, and geology. For me, all of these areas are fascinating and interconnected with stories. The opportunity for me to follow my dream as an artist came about after being layed off from my position as an Historic Interpreter overseeing two historic parks.

Today, I create art by flintknapping, lapidary, silversmithing, blacksmithing, enameling, and glass fusing. My work exhibits a wide array of techniques such as stone cutting, silver overlay, granulation, piercing, numerous casting methods (lost wax, sand, tufa, broom, cuttlefish bone, water, and rock salt casting), glass fusing methods, various enameling processes, and over 40 years of developing flintknapping techniques for my own unique style. Because I’m driven to try new things, my body of work is constantly evolving.

Widely varied materials are an integral part of my jewelry creations, and it is common to see “stones” set in my work that will not be seen in anyone else’s jewelry. Whenever possible I mine my own stones (such as turquoise, opal, rubies, agate, jasper, etc.). Locally collected stones, exotic gemstones, fossils, leather, wood, glass, plastic, iron, copper, Sterling Silver, and gold all help tell the stories of the Southern California regional environment.

I provide more than jewelry. As with art, I provide people with a personal connection, by means of stories, and in the form of heirloom jewelry.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I started my social media presence on Facebook with a personal page and then a business page. Through my personal page I joined every group that I could that pertained to my jewelry and lithic arts (flintknapped arrowheads). I thought outside of the box on this one, and it made a huge difference on drawing in followers! For example, if I created a fused glass arrowhead that I set in Sterling Silver as a pendant, I could share a photo of my work on multiple different Facebook group pages. I might access groups about flintknapping, arrowheads, archaeology, primitive skills, archery, fused glass, glass artists, glass microwave kilns, silversmithing, etc. All of this for one item, which seemed like a lot, but was great for building a base of followers. Some of the group pages did not allow sales or advertising. On these pages I shared pertinent and helpful information, along with the photo, to give back to the community and become known within the community. It was not about selling on those posts/pages.
Today my focus with social media is mainly on Instagram. Since my work revolves around the individual stories with each piece of jewelry, I incorporate interesting information with almost every post. To me the stories are as important as the art work. It is a way for me to share my passions with creating, or about local plants, animals and history. This is the park ranger side of me, with a passion for sharing knowledge. In fact, if you visit my Instagram page, you will see just as many posts from my excursions about the natural world and historic sites, as you will see posts on my creations. All of the stories overlap and are interconnected. That is what I love about it!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love creating unique jewelry by incorporating my personal experiences influenced by a lifetime of exploring the outdoors in California. On one trip into a remote section of the Mojave Desert, I was part of a group bringing water to bighorn sheep at a drinking station. Upon arriving, fire hoses were dragged up a canyon to the almost empty water tanks. As the tanks were being filled, I carefully examined the area around the drinkers, and noted lots of recent trackways, scat, bighorn bedding areas, and desert shrubs that were rubbed clean of branches up to the height of a bighorn. There was evidence of bighorns everywhere, but disappointedly none in sight. Before heading back to the trucks, I noted bits of broken old PVC pipe lying around from the prior water catchment that was no longer in service. I picked up as much as I could to carry back as trash removal. As I approached the vehicles, I saw everyone with cameras out but could not determine why. At the parking area, I learned that a bighorn sheep had eluded me by passing me on the other side of a rock pile. I later translated this story into a Sterling Silver pendant with a bighorn poking its head out from behind a pile of rocks, next to a shrub with its lower branches rubbed clean. The cincher is that I cut and polished the broken PVC pipe form the drinker and set it as the “stone” in the pendant. It is pieces like this, with fascinating stories that I strive to create. Seeing that glimmer in a guest’s eyes when they hear the story is the best reward ever! My jewelry is not just an experience, or a story, it is my passion and a part of me!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: past_to_present_programs

Image Credits

James Bowden