Slowmade: Nourishing Conversations for Jewelry Artists and Metalsmiths

In this episode, I’m joined by jewelry artist Beth Judge for a conversation about the long and winding creative path, the seasons of life when our own dreams get placed on hold, and what it means to finally come back to the artist within.
Beth’s love of jewelry began in high school, where she was lucky enough to have access to a metalsmithing program that introduced her to soldering, sawing, stone setting, and even casting. She went on to study metalsmithing at Tyler School of Art and later became a graduate gemologist through GIA before spending many years working as a bench jeweler. Her path also includes teaching, motherhood, supporting a family restaurant business, opening a brick-and-mortar studio space in Hopewell, New Jersey, and finding her way back to her own creative voice in a deeper and more intentional way.
We talk about the pressure so many women feel to put everyone else first, and how easy it can be to move our own creative longings to the side while we take care of children, partners, work, finances, and all the responsibilities of life. Beth shares honestly about what it has meant to finally give herself more permission to play, experiment, and enjoy the process rather than always creating from a place of pressure or practicality.
Beth also shares about her beautiful shared studio space, her work as a full-time art teacher, her love of stones, her growing interest in enamel, and the way working in other mediums like fiber and ceramics has begun to cross-pollinate with her jewelry practice. We talk about slowmade as an invitation to enjoy the process, the courage it can take to call yourself an artist, and why making time for the work that feeds your soul matters at every stage of life.
This is a warm and honest conversation about creativity, identity, timing, and the part of us that never really disappears, even when life gets full.

Follow Beth...
Beth on Instagram: ⁠@bethanndesigns
Beth’s website: bethannjudge.com

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Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...
Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠
Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠
Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

In this episode of the Slowmade Podcast, I’m talking with jewelry and lapidary artist Leora Coronel.
Leora lives in Northern California, where her work is deeply connected to the Yuba River. She collects stones from the river, cuts them herself, and transforms them into jewelry that carries a strong sense of place.
Our conversation begins with the long and winding path that led Leora into jewelry. From collecting rocks as a child, to making feather earrings while working at a yoga studio in Los Angeles, to slowly learning metalwork and eventually finding her way into lapidary, Leora shares how working with her hands has always filled a deep need to create.
We talk about what it means to work with materials from your own surroundings, and how powerful it can feel to turn something ordinary and often overlooked into something wearable and meaningful. Leora shares how learning to cut her own river stones opened up a whole new world in her work and became one of the most defining parts of her creative path.
We also talk about the push and pull so many independent artists feel between making what lights us up and making what sells. Leora speaks honestly about depending on her jewelry for income, the pressure that can put on the work, and the gratitude she feels that much of what she loves to make also connects with her customers.
This conversation also moves into teaching, imposter syndrome, and creative confidence. Leora shares how she slowly began offering private lessons and workshops, including lapidary classes, and how rewarding it has been to help other artists experience the excitement of cutting their own stones for the first time.
We also get into the current realities of being a working jewelry artist, including slow sales, rising silver prices, shifting away from depending solely on Instagram, and finding ways to diversify income while staying connected to the work.
What I loved most about this conversation is Leora’s honesty. She doesn’t make the creative path sound perfectly clear or easy. Instead, she speaks about following one step, then another, staying open to what the materials offer, and continuing to make because the work brings satisfaction, joy, and meaning.

Follow along...
Leora on Instagram: ⁠@leoracoroneljewelry
Leora’s website: leoracoronel.com

Love the Podcast?
Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠
Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...
Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠
Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠
Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

On this episode of the Slowmade Podcast, I’m joined by artist and jeweler Francesca Kennedy for a deeply thoughtful conversation about creativity, instinct, imagination, and making without rigid rules.
Francesca has spent decades creating, first in clothing design in the Bay Area and later in jewelry, and one of the things I loved most about this conversation was her willingness to stay open creatively. Rather than forcing herself into a formula or “brand,” she follows curiosity, experimentation, feeling, and play — allowing the work to evolve naturally over time.
Together we talk about growing up “semi-feral,” the importance of imagination and solitude in a creative life, the changing landscape of art and business, one-of-a-kind work, travel, beauty, community, and the freedom that comes from creating work that feels true to who you are.
This conversation felt especially meaningful to me because it also marks the 100th episode of the podcast. I walked away feeling inspired, creatively recharged, and reminded that some of the most interesting artists are the ones willing to keep exploring.

You can find Francesca’s work and follow along here:
Instagram: @flkjewelry

Love the Podcast?
Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠
Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...
Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠
Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠
Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

Norah Payne first found her way to metalsmithing years ago before stepping away from it for over a decade. When she returned, it wasn’t with a clear plan, but as something to hold onto during a deeply isolated time—something that slowly became the work she couldn’t imagine letting go of.
In this episode, we talk about building a body of work over time, following what feels right, and designing intuitively—often letting the stone lead. We also get into the realities many independent jewelry artists are facing right now, from slower sales to rising material costs and staying visible online.
Norah also shares about losing her home and studio in a wildfire, what it meant to begin again, and the support she received from the jewelry community as she rebuilt.
This is a conversation about returning to what you love, trusting your instincts, and continuing to make… even when the path isn’t clear.

Follow Along:
Norah on Instagram: ⁠@norahpaynemetals
Norah’s Website: norahpaynemetals.com

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Consider supporting an episode! Learn more at https://www.slowmadepodcast.com/support-the-podcast
Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...
Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠
Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠
Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com

If you’ve ever struggled with photographing your jewelry—or wondered if it might be time to invest in professional images—this conversation is going to give you a lot to think about.
Today I’m joined by jewelry photographer Cole Rodger, whose work many artists in our industry trust to bring their pieces to life. Cole didn’t start out planning to photograph jewelry, but through years of experience in both photography and running her own product-based business, she’s developed a deep understanding of what it takes to create images that not only look beautiful… but actually help sell the work.
In this conversation, Cole shares what goes into creating strong, impactful images—and why photography is often one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) parts of an artist’s business.
We talk about when it makes sense to invest in professional photography, how different types of images serve different purposes, and what artists can do right now to improve their own photos at home.
This is one of those episodes that can shift how you see your work—and how you present it to the world.

Follow Along:
Cole on Instagram: ⁠@coleimage & @colerodgerimage
Cole’s Website: coleimage.com

Love the Podcast?
Support an episode: ⁠Click here to learn more!⁠
Without your support I couldn’t continue the Slowmade Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Christine and Slowmade...
Instagram: ⁠@christinemighion⁠
Jewelry Website: ⁠christinemighion.com⁠
Slowmade: ⁠slowmadepodcast.com