Our Journey
You are beautifully unique and a gift from God to the world. You want to love and be loved. You care about health, family, community, social causes and our earthly environment. Your life is FULL with activities, responsibilities, obligations and a little time for fun. I hear you. I’m with you. This is OUR journey.
In the midst of so much “busy” and the distractions of our world, I learned the value of stillness. I practice stillness everyday. I get quiet, stop all the activities, unplug and just breathe. I pray and listen for the still, small voice of God. Not an audible voice, but the sense of His presence in my heart and the longing in my soul. This time of refreshing is needed desperately in our world. And one way to receive it is to “Be Still”.
Have you experienced a life event that changed the direction of your life?
I created Still Jai Studio after the end of a long marriage, when I was searching for clarity and purpose. I’m a lifelong creative and was always working on projects in any number of mediums. Then, without my planning, a space was available that could be used for all my artistic pursuits. Still Jai Studio was born.
What 3 things are at your core?
As a visual artist, a singer, and IT professional I’ve always loved 3 things - art, music and math. I’ve used many mediums to express my creativity - fiber, acrylics, mosaics and jewelry. Taught through self-study, workshops and online courses, I’m a lifelong learner. The learning is almost as much fun as the doing.
From early in my childhood, I would sing quietly to myself as I made doll clothes, crocheted, sewed my own clothes, did my homework and made jewelry. In elementary school, I began to sing solos in our church choir and for many years since, I’ve sung in choirs and led worship in church. God has blessed me to feel His spirit move during times of worship. And these powerful moments shaped who am I.
In college, I excelled at math, fell in love with computers then started my career in technology. Part techy, part musician, part artist. My jewelry reflects my love of all three.
What’s your favorite memory involving jewelry?
I remember being a little girl and watching my mother put on her jewelry for a special night out. She would let me hand her pieces that we would choose together to go with her outfit. As I got older, she would let me borrow her jewelry for special occasions- school dances, confirmation day, birthdays and my wedding. Many years ago, she went to heaven, and although I miss her terribly and wish she was still here, I have a few special pieces of her jewelry that I cherish. In fact, my daughter wore my mother’s pearl necklace for HER wedding. It was a moment I will never forget as I placed the pearls on my daughter that my mother had once placed on me. It still brings a tear of joy and gratitude to my eyes as I recall that moment.
Jewelry has played an important part in my life and I hope to share this special feeling with you. Checkout my Shop.
Jewelry is more than adornment. It not only makes us feel more beautiful, it makes us smile, it brings back fond memories and reminds us of who we are. I want my jewelry to remind you to include stillness in everyday and make memories for a lifetime. The jewelry I create is lovingly made by hand in my studio, here in Austin, TX.
Beauty from stillness
I’m Jai (pronounced “J”) and I’m here for you. Just like you, I have a lot of hyphens (daughter-sister-aunt-wife-mother-grand-artist-singer-worship leader-tech professional…) I get it. We all do thousands of things everyday and the activity and stress can be overwhelming. I learned years ago that Stillness is essential for me to “do it all” and stay sane and whole.
God told us in the Bible, Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God…” When we are obedient to God, there is a peace that comes only from Him.
When I’m not working on my business, I enjoy gardening and pond-keeping. Click here for a glimpse of my pond..
Let’s Talk
Do you have questions about my materials, design process or my studio space? Would you like to invite me as a guest on your blog or podcast? I’m also available for virtual interviews for traditional media. Please reach out.