Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Sears.
Hi Christy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Texafornia Mama with an infectious giggle and a wry sense of humor. Ladysmith. Jewelry Instructor.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Had the road been easy, I wouldn’t be here, today. It began when I was working full-time in advertising. (Honestly, my best advice is to avoid ad agencies, altogether. Boom. Best Free Advice Ever – Interview finished? No? OK, keep going.)
Like many metalsmiths, for fun, I started with traditional beading techniques and then added wire-wrapping and knotting to my skillset. Quickly, the heart/hands/brain connection became restless and pressed for something more. Something deeper.
My Hubs, then Fiance, encouraged me to enroll in the weekend Metal Fabrication & Jewelry Soldering course at the local design college (in Los Angeles). I put on my big-girl britches and jumped-in. I loved it! The techniques and tools felt natural and stilled my demanding, inner creative voice. Hands-engaged, brain-on, happy heart.
Looking at this experience in hindsight, and in reviewing other jewelry programs, the teaching approach often imparts the ideas of “How” without a lot of “When” and “Why”.
Argh! That can be so dangerous because, hello? There are torches and tools, chemicals, etc. I made a lot of scary mistakes when I left that program, but the cuts and burns, over-spending, research, research, research + trial-and-error created a solid foundation that I could share with other makers.
So, in 2013, when I was asked to teach at a Santa Monica Studio, I was ready! Long story short: that studio closed after a few years. I opened-up my garage-based studio to students. The program grew via word-of-mouth. There were 5 of us teaching classes which ensured that artists had a growth path. We moved to the ATL-area where the studio is once again poised serve. And, I freelance in experiential marketing while taking care of my husband and 2 teenage sons.
My journey has taken me from VP of Consumer Engagement with a marketing agency, to President of Creating a Better Life Balance While Pursuing My Passion. So literally, with each class enrollment, I’m saved from the evil jaws of a full-time Corporate Cubicle.
We’ve been impressed with August Axel Jewelry Studio, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Studio is a safe-space for the care and feeding of creative hearts/hands/minds through jewelry-making techniques. We serve absolute beginners, talented tinkerers, Etsy-store owners & professional designers who wish to understand the jewelry-making process, advanced artists, etc. Our jewelry-techniques classes help people reach their next-level of success.
There’s a wide range of classes – the most popular are consistently:
• Jewelry Soldering for Beginners
• Beginning Jewelry Metalsmithing
• Bezel Setting
Before a new class launches, I personally break-down the information to ensure that it could make sense to a variety of learning styles. (Did you guess, already, that I was raised on Ritalin??) I want to reach people where they are and work with what they’ve got – with kindness, respect, humor and a boat-load of practical knowledge.
The August Axel Jewelry Studio is also different in that we don’t try to create loyalty by tethering students to us for weeks at a time. Each class
lasts 4-5 hours – periodt – because, any longer than that and brains and butts become numb. (And frankly, if someone is going to build a condo in your wallet, it should be your favorite source for metal & stones, right?)
In response to our approach, we were given over 160 5-star reviews on our former, now defunct, booking site. This little studio was one of the top-rated in the country. We work hard to earn every review. What a gift!
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Using my God-given gifts of empathy and creativity.
Helping people matters to me, which is THE MOST unsexy character trait in the history of history. But, there it is. That’s how I draw my value and define success.
When I look back on my advertising career, I recognize that the work itself held very little value. My driving force was to support the clients and my employees. All of the other details flowed from that core value.
It’s the same with my family and in the August Axel Jewelry Studio. My success comes from helping others become successful.
Contact Info:
- Email: christy@augustaxel.com
- Website: www.GAjewelryclasses.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/augustaxel_jewelrystudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/augustaxeljewelrystudio
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/august-axel-jewelry-studio-peachtree-city
Image Credits
BibelotLA – green, prong-set gem. Thank you.
