We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jocelyn Baroody. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jocelyn below.
Jocelyn, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
How does one learn to create? There are so many things that go into the how!
I started learning my craft at a young age from a long list of influential artists in my life; my seamstress grandmas, carpenter grandpas, designer dads, fashionable mom and incredibly talented sister to mention a few! This was accompanied by attending my beloved public elementary school which serendipitously happened to be a magnet school for the arts. With weekly studio arts, coupled with after school programs, my artistic knowledge continued to grow. Captivated by creating, additional multi-medium art classes continued through middle school, plus art center programs such as figure drawing at a local art center. Later, in high-school as I developed clarity into my career path, I landed internships in NYC fashion houses like Tommy Hilfiger and Nanette Lepore alongside chosen art classes in my schedule to learn and practice new skills like ceramics.
I was then accepted into the Fashion program at Marist college where I studied apparel design which also afforded me the opportunity to study abroad at the London College of Fashion where I completed training in millinery and handbag design. Shortly after graduating, I continued to develop additional artistries and skill sets in design positions with various accessories brands traveling abroad to hands on create and design extensive handbag collections. By establishing myself as a designer effective at efficiently producing large lines of product, I had long reached the senior ranks of corporate design by the age of 30. At the time I had recently become a mother, resulting in a hiatus from demands of the corporate scene. Which brings us to now where I am continuing to learn every day as I explore playing with new materials and mediums and graphic programs all while practicing the craft which is key in continuing to learn.
Knowing what I know now, I’m not sure there’s something I could have done to speed up the learning process. I feel like it’s crucial to apply learning to every day. I also believe it’s important to foster it as early as possible and to keep feeding the artistic drive. Just as my parents supported my interests by signing me up for sewing classes, making sure I had sketch books and the tools I needed to make art often! Every single skill I learned has been essential to the artist I am today, even ones you wouldn’t expect, like paper making, for example. Using your hands with recycled material and creating beautiful artisan paper is only a small doorway to endless creative possibilities.
Did obstacles stand in the way of learning more? Sure, I think deciding to have children or in my case, a child is definitely something that at least put my learning on hold for a little bit of time. But it certainly did not keep my mind from building ideas while my hands were busy with a baby instead of jewels and tools. I think lack of confidence can also stand in the way of learning more, fear of failure, all the commonalities so many of us share as humans. My biggest obstacle is the fight against time, there’s truly not enough time in the day to possibly learn half of the projects conjured in my head and that I have the desire to explore learning more about.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Plum Dilly Design Studio is where art meets fashion, creativity joins expertise and evolving ideas are explored. Functioning as both an online and local traveling accessories boutique, the Plum Dilly brand currently offers an overseas manufactured label including trendy teething necklaces as well as stylish machine washable light weight backpacks.
More recently, and excitedly I’ve added one-of-a-kind specialty pieces handmade here in Grapevine, TX. You’ll find headbands, bags and jewelry in capsule collections for each season. You can expect lots of pinks and purples, plus all the colors of the sunrise and sunset, sparkle, shine, cosmic inspiration, with a dash of girly disposition and hint of bohemian flair. Think fringe and tassels, but make it sequins. But really, let’s not put ourselves in a box! My greatest joy is to create custom pieces, with colors and details unique to the customer. For instance, you desire a headband or a piece of jewelry for a special occasion like a photoshoot? See something on my website you’d love to change the color of or adjust the sizing? You’ve come to the place where all of that can happen.
In addition to custom design orders, I offer multiple design services including but not limited to product photography, logo design, technical design consulting, spec work. Are you a small business owner on a budget but want an amazing new logo, not created on an app? It’s something I love to do, help people represent their business the way they dream of. Or do you need help figuring out packaging design such as the tape you want on your shipping boxes or a thank you card? Need help styling a photo shoot? The possibilities are endless!
Just as a piece of art in a frame or a sculpture in a museum are intended to make you feel something, my designs aim to do the same and move the viewer to know that they belong together. In a world so saturated with copy cats, I like to believe my customers are the ones looking for something they can’t find elsewhere. The Plum Dilly design label is for those that wish to stand out from the crowd and glow in their individuality. Imitation must not be confused for talent, true artists find inspiration in places the naked eye can’t see. When you shop what’s created in this studio, you’re getting a real deal design experience.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
There are a multitude of rewards that come from being gifted with artistic talents, namely how fun and thrilling it is to bring an idea to life plus the obvious therapeutic properties of the actual creating process.
But if I had to choose the top most rewarding aspect of being an artist / creative is when I get to witness how my work makes people feel. Especially when I have the opportunity see a customer continuously wearing something I’ve handmade, a logo I designed printed on a business card, or a little girl running towards my pop-up shop with stars in her eyes, it just never gets old. It reminds me why I do what I do and why I put so much energy into every detail. If my art simply inspires a smile in any capacity, that is the ultimate reward.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My creative journey has always been driven by the same two-fold.
First, to continue utilizing my creative gifts, because if something makes you happy, it’s going to push you to keep going.
Second and most importantly, to inspire others to express themselves as the unique individuals that we all are. The mission is for my pieces to help you shine your inner light on the outside world with out saying anything at all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.plumdilly.com/
- Instagram: @plumdilly
- Facebook: @plumdillybrand
Image Credits
All photos taken by Jocelyn Baroody, Plum Dilly LLC