As a newer educator in the field, I see the new accessibility to virtual education and opportunities as a great benefit to the contemporary jewelry world. Interview with Sarah Montagnoli by Klimt02

Tell us about your background. What were your first influences to be creative and become an artist and what has drawn you to contemporary jewellery?
Ever since I was young I have always been more of a creative person, my interest in jewelry started when I was in the 6th grade and had recently been gifted a large amount of costume jewelry. I didn’t love any of the pieces in their entirety, but I did like parts of them, so I found my dad's toolbox and used the pliers I could find to take a lot of pieces apart and then create new ones from them. This playing around evolved quickly into an obsession with creating jewelry, and then launched me into jobs in the field and the desire to pursue it as my career. My academic career then influenced my draw on contemporary jewelry. Having been in a Fine Arts driven undergraduate degree, my love for the line between jewelry and wearable art stems from this and I find my work falling into those areas because of this love for contemporary jewelry. 
 

How important is networking for you in your professional practice and what are your preferred tools for this?
Networking is important to my practice in how connecting with other makers and getting to talk about our work and practices expands my education and understanding of the wide breadth of makers in the field and how we all work. Discussing trends, ways of making, trading tips and tricks, connecting through interests in each other’s methods of making; all of this is something I crave and love about networking with new people. My preferred methods have evolved to be more digital in the times of COVID-19, to avenues such as Instagram, website inquiries, virtual show receptions, etc. Although I dream of times with safe in person events and receptions to reconnect with other makers in person. 


What are your general thoughts on the contemporary jewellery world, (education, market, development...), where do you see chances and where are dead ends?
As a newer educator in the field, I see the new accessibility to virtual education and opportunities as a great benefit to the contemporary jewellery world as it opens itself up to more aspiring makers that may not have access to areas with jewelry/craft centres and struggle to find a foothold in the craft to join the field. I hope this accessibility continues to be available and more young makers continue to take advantage of the ability to participate in the field without the geographic restraints that were large hurdles to some previously. 
 

Thinking about your career, what role do technology and the digital play in your artistic development & communication?
 Within my career, technology and the digital play pertinent roles in my practice, development and ability to communicate with others in the field. My work has evolved greatly through technology such as CAD designing programs and Water Jet Cutters, which are major components in my craft now. Being able to use Instagram and a world reaching network to connect with other makers and discuss our practices, helps my development as well.