Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin Klocke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Justin, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I love getting unusual requests, and one of my favorite ring requests involved setting an elk’s tooth in a gold ring. I got to make this particular ring primarily due to lucky timing- I was around when the client knocked.

I was teaching in northern California at Cal Poly Humboldt at the time and was asked by a campus police officer to make a ring for a vow renewal ceremony. He and his wife were both avid hunters, and without her knowing, he had saved a tooth from her first successful elk hunt. I cut and polished the tooth and made a 14K gold ring to set it in. Stylistically it was the opposite of what people typically want for a wedding or engagement ring, but it was still elegant. Sentimentally, it was far more meaningful than a diamond.

The patron and I met by chance. He knew there was a jewelry department on campus, and looked up the instructor- me. I happened to be in my office when he knocked on my door and we went from there. After a few meetings, a few stories, and a couple of design iterations, I created a ring that we both really liked. He continued to drop in and say hi for the remainder of the time I taught at Cal Poly.

It’s extra rewarding to work with a client and make something that’s special to them personally. It’s even more fun to work with unusual materials and create something out of the ordinary.

Justin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started my business, Nishnabotna out of my love for making. My favorite part of the day is sitting at the bench and picking up the next project. I love making because it’s incredibly rewarding to know that you’ve created something that is well designed, well built, has longevity, and embraces craftspersonship.

I hope to be the opposite of fast fashion, throwaway culture, and oppressive capitalism. I price the products work as fairly as I can because I do not want to exclude the average person. Great craft and design are too often reserved for luxury items, and so it excludes the average buyer. For many reasons on top of that, people buy cheaper goods that don’t last. That may be due to poor construction, bad design, or a change in trends. I want Nishnabotna to be a reason to support small makers and keep craftspersonship alive.

It is a joy to make jewelry and other functional objects. It feels great to wear them and to use them. If Nishnabotna can help someone connect with quality and craft, I’m elated.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I don’t expect Nishnabotna to be the same business it is today in 10 years. That may mean something as simple as a brick-and-mortar storefront, or focusing more on designing functional objects and jewelry. I’d love to have a studio that is large enough to handle bigger projects, but even more importantly, a space where multiple people are working and learning together.

For now, I feel like I’m still in an early phase and I’m just doing what I can to grow. Some weeks are tougher than others, but as I look back, Nishnabotna has come a long way. As I look forward I feel pretty good.

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

Over the years I’ve had to learn to slow down, enjoy the process, and embrace mistakes. As a younger maker, I thought great craft meant making precise work. My jewelry had a clean and machined look, but trying to make things ‘machine-perfect’ took out the fun. Now, when I make a mistake, I’m much easier on myself. If it can be fixed, I fix it without getting frustrated. It still bothers me to make a mistake, but I no longer dwell on it. This way I can avoid the negative feelings, learn from the error, and figure out the next step while still enjoying the process.

There wasn’t a single instance where I realized I needed to change my approach, but rather it was the influence of other friends, teachers, (good) bosses, and other makers. I realized that even though I loved working at the bench, I wasn’t feeling as great about it. I picked up little bits of positivity from dozens of people over the years, and only as I look back do I see how much it changed my perspective.

I’m grateful for the experience and the guidance of others. My friends, colleagues, and fellow artists have helped me become a better maker, more confident, and happier overall!  

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nishnabotna.com
• Instagram: @nishnabotna