Today we’d like to introduce you to Ileana Martin.
Ileana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Making jewelry was probably as far off the radar for me as you can imagine. I was a broadcast journalist for more than two decades, scrambling to meet deadlines and working around the clock. One day, I realized I didn’t see myself in that environment for the remainder of my career. I needed an outlet. In 2015, I ended my career and began my jewelry-making journey. I had no idea where to start and had no mentors to look up to. I felt like I was at the start line of a marathon race that had started days ago. So, I turned to beads, which are incredibly easy to work with. I enjoyed beadwork but quickly found myself yearning for something a bit more challenging. Then I discovered metalsmithing. I read nearly every book on the subject, but I needed hands-on experience. I took three workshops, but I wanted to learn more. Since I couldn’t afford to take expensive week-long workshops, I turned to the internet and began absorbing YouTube videos from a variety of artists. Slowly, I taught myself how to solder properly, how to saw and pierce metals, how to polish and finish, how to set stones, how to stamp metal, how to use precious metal clay, where to buy supplies, how to recycle precious metals, and the list goes on and on. My work has evolved greatly in these last few years, and now, I feel I have a stronger sense of what I am doing than I did even a year ago.
I challenge myself daily, learning new techniques or picking up a new skill. I chase inspiration whenever it visits because no one knows when it will be back. I’m still working to develop my brand, which I think at some point, a lot of artists do. I am thankful and blessed that I can do what I love, in my tiny studio in East Cobb.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I thought my learning curve would be minimal since I am a quick study, but metalsmithing is not an easy craft to do. Because I am mostly self-taught, I had to rely on a variety of external sources to properly set up my studio and make it a safe environment to work in. Also, I never realized how expensive it is. Working with precious metals takes skill, and there is a financial risk involved if you end up wasting materials. The same can be said about safety. There are many precautions one has to take to minimize their health risk. That includes protecting oneself from harmful dust particles, working with toxic compounds, working with torches that burn on volatile gases like butane, propane and oxygen, etc. There are many factors that can lead to disaster, and I had to learn them quickly before I could start working safely.
I think the fact that I didn’t take proper art classes for my craft sets my work apart. Sometimes it is easy to get bogged down by rules, but I like to create in an environment that doesn’t limit me. I get inspiration from looking at examples from some of the masters of the industry, typically found in the books I read. I also use the social media site, Pinterest, which serves as a reference guide at times. Or, if there is something I see in nature that I feel I can imitate in silver, I take a crack at it. I guess what inspires me depends on a lot of external factors.
Please tell us about your business.
Evenfall Creations is my brainchild. I came up with that name because the word “evenfall” is an old English word that means ‘dusk,’ which, to me, is one of the most beautiful times of the day. It is also the time of day when I would work on jewelry, years before, when I was still working full-time as a journalist. I put so much emphasis on quality and customer service at Evenfall Creations. Since I am responsible for every facet of the business I hold myself to a very high standard. I start every morning answering emails about upcoming shows and festivals and get right to work on new designs. I think that is the hardest part of this journey, creating new ideas and making them viable pieces of jewelry that will appeal to a wide audience.
I usually focus on smaller designs made of sterling silver with natural gemstones. I get a lot of compliments about how dainty, delicate and feminine my work is. I have attended dozens of festivals across metro Atlanta over the last five years and now I can say I have repeat customers. I walk around just out of curiosity to see what other people have because the jewelry market is a saturated industry. It gives me a lot of pride to say that my work is unique, delicate and exclusively handmade.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would have jumped right into metalsmithing. I started this journey with beadwork, and that lasted a few years. I wouldn’t say those years were wasted, per se, but I do wish I had invested in metalsmithing a lot earlier. Also, many of those early years I held a part-time job, and making jewelry was my side-hustle. I wish that I would have had the confidence to know that I could do jewelry-making as a full-time venture.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/EvenfallCreations
- Phone: 678-715-9755
- Email: ileana@evenfallcreations
- Instagram: @evenfallcreations
- Facebook: facebook.com/EvenfallCreations
Image Credit:
Ileana & William Martin
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