We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joshua Maxon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Joshua, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
Of all the things I’ve done & jobs I’ve had in my life, making art is simultaneously the hardest & most fulfilling.
I’ve been doing what I do for almost 13 years, full-time for 5, and I can’t imagine ever doing anything else. It’s what I eat, sleep & breathe.
I used to think that me doing anything else but jewelry was me “giving up”.
I do think about going back to a regular job sometimes, like when things get rough, & sales get slow, but I can’t. It’s almost a physical reaction against it. Not that I wouldn’t go back if I absolutely had to.
When I made the switch 5 years ago, it was mostly for my mental health. I was unmedicated, I wasn’t in a good space. I was the kitchen manager at a truck stop & my anxiety was through the roof. I was losing hair from stress. My husband & I talked about it, and we realized it was time for change. I got into therapy, got medicated and things VERY much changed.
Now, looking forward, when I think about going back to a regular job I do experience some anxiousness. I’m a different person in 2024 though, and I know that going back doesn’t mean “giving up” my dream.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
So HI! I’m Josh, and my brand is Maxxon Deisgns. I’ve been making wire wrapped jewelry for almost 13 years now, and it’s my favorite thing I’ve ever done ever.
I started in early 2012, fixing an important necklace for a dear friend. It was just a little short & he needed it extended so he could wear it again. After that necklace, I couldn’t stop. I started making my own necklaces, after that I started wrapping simple quartz points to put on them; and shortly after I was making my own pendants.
Selling jewelry in Southern Missouri wasn’t really working, and I heard about a place in Arkansas that was good for artists called Eureka Springs. I moved there & met people from all over the country, made connections from my jewelry in ways I never thought possible, and found that what I make can make people feel something with what I create. That’s what it became about for me. I was also a VERY much struggling artist, so it was important for me to make whatever I could out of the most affordable materials possible. That usually meant unconventional materials, found objects & repurposed items.
12 years later, I’m still doing my best to make people feel something with what I create. I still use the most affordable things I can, to make the most affordable things I can. Everyone deserves something beautiful, and my goal is to make it as attainable as possible should they want something beautiful from me. I do use anything a client wants if it’s for a custom, if they want diamonds and 18kt gold that’s what they’ll get; but if I’m just making something pretty I prefer to use Cubic Zirconia.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I knew of & had taken advantage of the online jewelry making community when I first started. Who knows what I’d be making now! There are people all over the world 24hrs a day making jewelry, and in my experience, they’re pretty open to sharing what they know if you know what to ask.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In my opinion, what people could do to support creatives is to start creating for themselves. It’s my therapy, what I do for work, & for fun. It’s made me a more deliberate, thoughtful person. And I think people could use more of that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Maxxondesigns.org
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/maxxondesigns
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josh.maxon.3?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Image Credits
Joshua Maxon