Meet Jody Mills of Inspirations by Jody

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jody Mills.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was raised in the Midwest; specifically in the heart of Northern Illinois. My parents were a huge blessing to me and had the biggest influence on who I’ve become. Through their examples, they taught me much about Midwestern and Christian values. My father was a Methodist minister, and he reflected love, integrity, and kindness in everything he did. He was passionate about music and photography, and I remember spending hours with him in his basement darkroom developing hundreds of photos he had taken. It was he who helped me learn about photography, composition and artistry. My mother was a teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom until I reached high school. At that time, she went back to school to start a new career, and worked for many years after. She was an intelligent and elegant woman who showed me how to be strong and independent, and passed on to me her love for growing things, and watching and feeding the birds.

Lush trees, rich soil, songbirds, and cornfields were abundant in my life, and also played a huge part in who I am today. I spent hours outside, especially as a young adult. The winters were long, and the summers short; but I always found things to do outside, no matter what the weather. There was always downhill and cross country skiing during the cold months, and windsurfing and gardening in the warmer months. Bird watching, gardening, and nature photography became my passions. Nature is still my greatest inspiration, and most often I find it in my own backyard.

As a child, I was always on my hands and knees taking things apart and trying to figure out how they worked. That’s how, when I was a very young adult, I fell in to the new and exciting new world of computers. Through the years, my career developed as the field of Information Technology blossomed, and I eventually found myself managing Technology departments for various large companies. While it was a great career, it didn’t really feed my soul, or inspire passion. Eventually I left the corporate world and started to pursue something that allowed me to reach inside and be more creative.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think my biggest challenges have been self-doubt and creative block. This seems to be a common thread with creative people; always wondering if our work is good enough, and finding inspiration to push you through the block. I constantly have to remind myself not to compare my work with others, but to focus on the story I’m trying to tell through my work; and to remember my work is hand crafted and not meant to show the perfection of commercially produced pieces. Self-doubt can completely erode inspiration and motivation.

Creative block is also stifling. There are literally days when I’ll go out to my shop and not feel an ounce of creativity in my soul. That’s when I make myself pick up a piece of silver and just starting doing something, anything, with it just to get started. Soon enough an idea starts to take shape, and suddenly I realize 3 hours have gone by. Other days, an idea will formulate in my mind, and I can’t make it fast enough!

At the beginning of this year, I suddenly lost the hearing in my right ear. The suddenness of it was shocking, and it kept me from working in my shop for several months as I pursued answers. Having lost most of the hearing in my left ear earlier in life, I was thrown in to a world of near silence. Now that I’ve accepted and adjusted to this new state of being, I find I’m able to focus more while I’m in my shop creating. I’m choosing to think of this as a blessing, rather than let it define me.

Inspirations by Jody – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Inspirations By Jody came about in 2009 after a crystal beaded bracelet I had been given by a friend broke all over the floor at work. The bracelet really mean a lot to me, so I gathered up all the crystals I could find, bought some beading wire, and proceeded to figure out how to remake it and fasten the ends properly. I discovered I really enjoyed the process, and began designing and selling jewelry.

My interests switched from beads to natural stones when a friend asked me to design some pieces with strands of stones she had. I have her to thank for that shift in my business. Working with the stones fed my soul so much more than beads. They reminded me of collecting stones when I was a child, and how fascinated I’ve always been with the awe inspiring natural formations of our earth.

I soon found some success doing art shows in Fountain Hills, Phoenix and Scottsdale, but I wanted to do more than just design and make hand strung jewelry. After leaving my full time corporate job, I decided to take it a step further and pursued metal smithing. I took a couple of basic silver smithing classes, and began trying various techniques on my own, reading, and watching YouTube videos. I found forging something from nothing but a sheet of silver or copper, and adding beautiful stones to it, really satisfied me.

In 2016, I won Best of Show for a silver bracelet I entered at the Mountain Makins Art Festival in Tennessee. Being recognized in that way by a group of fellow artists was a huge compliment; an experience I’ll never forget. Incredibly, one of the judges bought the piece. Another defining moment for my business came last December when a beautiful model walked the runway at the Labelhorde fashion show in Tempe wearing several of my pieces.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least about our city?
I fell in love with the Valley after coming down here on business for 2 months in 1992. The sunny days, warm weather, and the fact that something was always blooming, inspired me to move here in the fall of 1993. Fortunately I was able to transfer with the company I was working for at the time, and my husband and I have made it home ever since.

The area has so much to offer; from its diverse culture, to the grandeur of our nature preserves, parks, and incredible wildlife. You can find it all here. The community of artists and entrepreneurs in the Valley is abundant, and everyone is so supportive of one another.

The summertime heat in Phoenix does make working in a garage smithing shop a little challenging. I try hard not to let that stand in my way, though; and remind myself winter in the Valley is why we all live here.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.inspirationsbyjody.com/
• Email: jody@inspirationsbyjody.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/inspirationsbyjody/

 
 

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