We recently connected with Sylvia Davis and have shared our conversation below.

Sylvia, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I started by watching YouTube videos… over and over and day after day. I should have gone over to see my friend who owns a bead store who also does silversmithing. Or I could have taken classes in how to create wearable art. But, there are so many good “how to” videos that allow you to learn from home at your own pace. Also, I started during the COVID lockdown. Thank you YouTube!

Sylvia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Giving my son large beads and cording to work with, I figured it could help with hand and eye coordination. I started to enjoy it myself. Occasionally as he got older we both took an keener interest. We began making jewelry like simple stretch bracelets . He would make them to give away to my sister and other family members. I took it a little farther by using wire and findings. I mostly made jewelry with the southwest in mind. I love anything sterling silver and turquoise.
Just before covid hit. I started making jewelry for myself. I took up crocheting so I figured out how to add beads and pendants to necklaces. My sister tribe kept encouraging me to sell what I was making. Nope, that wasn’t something I had ever thought of. Covid came and by then I had such bead being obsession. I was overflowing with material. Things shut down. And I just thought well, I could share my gems. So I opened up an Etsy Shop. I found out you can post your jewelry to Instagram and get ladies to stop by to see my latest creations. A car ride to the post office was not so scary. No mask needed. Now, I have supporters whom I have become friends with. Many are my beautiful customers and others fellow jewelry designers. It’s so cool to be part of a group of people that support each other. It’s amazing to have so many new friends I’ve met through Instagram and customers that I have never met in real life, reach out an send sweet messages telling me that they like the colors of beads I’ve chosen or how I put something together. In return I do the same thing… a “like” here and there and encouraging messages. You’d be surprised that something like this keeps me going. I don’t want to brag, seriously, but I get messages that say they feel encouraged to start a shop or to create something of their own. I feel that that keeps me going when I have moment of brain freeze and just can’t get creating.
I took an interest in mixed-metal and sterling silver jewelry for myself. While swiping through Instagram I noticed that there we so many women in this field. So encouraging that I thought hey, I could do this too. After watching YouTube videos over and over of metalsmithing. I bought tools and started with a few things. Now I’m trying to teach myself that I could add precious gemstones to silver and even create my own.

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

I’m really not sure what to say. I feel like I spent most of my life raising two boys and a husband. Later in life my sons childhood friend became my 3rd son. I spent most of my time with them doing their thing. I became an empty nester. And my stay at home Mommy job was over. It took me a few years to find that I had a creative bone in my body. And now I’m on a roll.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

All I think about is what my children will say about Mom now Grandmother of 3.
The thing that I think of most is at the beginning of this creative journey. A gentleman wanted to surprise his wife with a necklace he saw on my Instagram page. Apparently she had told him that she loved something from my shop. So he reached out to ask for help in getting the necklace to her in the place he was taking her to for their anniversary. I was so honored to have been chosen to be part of that. And from there on I hope to create something made from my own two hands to share with someone in this amazing world that I may never meet but will somehow be part of a memory, love story, or just something beautiful.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @blue.river.boho
• Other: www.blueriverboho.etsy.com/