Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Lara.
Hi Monica, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut or a fashion designer. I ended up being an aquanaut and a jewelry designer! I have a PhD in Marine Science from the College of William and Mary and was a biology professor in Clearwater Florida at St Petersburg College. For about 25 years I made jewelry as a more and more serious hobby. I took classes and workshops and made jewelry for fun and started selling it at local art shows and online on Etsy when it started way back in 2006. I lost my husband several years ago which made me less likely to stay in FL for the rest of my life. Then when the covid-13 pandemic drastically changed the way I taught, I decided to move from Florida to my boyfriend’s native, snowy land of Wisconsin. I first took a job as a bench jeweler, just for a change, but also rented a shop on the primarily abandoned Main St. to house my jewelry workshop. The space being on Main St. in Fond Du Lac, WI made it logical to have a retail space along with my workshop. I applied and received a WI Main St Bounceback Grant which encouraged me to take a more active role in the rehabilitation of Main St. I have just recently purchased a building on Main St. which was built in 1890 and retains much of its original antique charm, the first thing that drew me to Main St in the first place. I continue to take workshops in jewelry techniques, gemology and goldsmithing and am teaching now as well. My connection to Atlanta is through my friend and fellow goldsmith Susan Saul. We attended workshops put together by the Florida Society of Goldsmiths for years. Last year she took a job as a jeweler at the shop Aimee Jewelry and Gallery in Decatur, GA. She asked me for advice since I was working as a bench jeweler at the time. This year she and Aimee invited me to have a trunk show in the shop in Decatur, GA. Aimee loves my style and after the show, she was impressed enough to buy a large portion of the stock I brought to carry in her shop. It is wonderful that the connections and traveling that I have done have resulted in my pieces being carried all over the world, from CA, GA, FL, WI to London, England!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Selling online is rough, people may send dozens of messages and then say “thanks!” And that’s the last you hear from them. You end up wasting a lot of time! I think a lot of people are used to window shopping and don’t realize how much effort goes into online selling. I also think it’s difficult for people to understand all the hours and years of training that are represented by handmade and they balk at the price of a handmade item because they are used to the prices of manufactured items produced with poorly paid labor. It is a constant but rewarding struggle to educate the public of the value of hand-crafted pieces. Lastly, owning a business is a CONSTANT struggle! Every minute of the workday is spent promoting, making and looking for more opportunities. It is not for the faint of heart or someone who is easily defeated. Bad sales? Grit your teeth (while still smiling ) but keep a positive attitude and find the lesson or silver lining. Academia was no different, most things worth doing are tough!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Argentum et Aurum (Silver and gold in Latin) by Monica Lara a former marine biologist and college professor with a taste for ancient history, legends and pirate treasure! (Arrrr!-jen-tum et or-um) Monica sells her jewelry designs online and in boutiques in California, Florida, Georgia and London and now offers her original jewelry designs in gold and silver and natural gems out of her new downtown shop in Fond Du Lac. You can see her at work in her workshop in the back of her antique-filled space. Monica uses post-consumer recycled gold and silver for her lost-wax cast creations and loves working with her customers to create the perfect custom pieces out of their old jewelry. She creates her jewelry on-site and her boutique now carries carefully selected clothing, home goods, fossils and mineral specimens, all in keeping with her unique vibe. Come by to find that perfect something with a touch of magic.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Summers with my Gran, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins in Baja California, Mexico. We spent days in the sun and at the beach. Probably where my inspiration for my career as a biologist, my art and my life comes from.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.phbeadsjewelry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phbeadsjewelry/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhBeadsJewelry/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/phbeads
Image Credits
Monica Lara
