Jessica Dismont- A Bejewelled FuturePost Date: Thursday February 7th 2008
Jessica Dismont has believed from a young age that "accessories make the outfit." At only fourteen, she began making plastic bracelets to sell at school, setting her up for what has now become a career path. Now twenty-four, Jessica is studying jewellery full time at L'Ecole de Joaillerie de Montreal and starting her graduate Gemologist program at the Gemological Institute of America. Her passion for accessorising began at a very young age: "Ever since I can remember, I've had a jewellery box full of random pieces. As a kid, I'd go through my mum and grandma's jewellery and take whatever they said they didn't wear anymore!"Click here to view her gallery of accessories!
Jessica began making beaded jewellery to match her clothing, but now feels that there is artistry to her work: "Jewellery, to me, is wearable art. I love working on something and having the end result be a piece you can wear that will make you feel happy every time you look at it. With jewellery, you don't have to leave your piece of art at home! You can enjoy it throughout the day." Jessica originally, however, intended on pursuing a career in the international business sector in Bermuda. At seventeen, she worked for Cecile and the Lily Pulitzer shop at Coral Beach and a few years later began selling self-taught beaded jewellery that matched the clothing. This hooked her on the idea of jewellery as more than a hobby, and she began selling designs in The English Sports Shop, The Littlest Drawbridge and The Island Shop.
Jessica, however, is no one-trick pony. She graduated with distinction from McGill University with a Bachelors of Arts majoring in Humanistic Studies and a double minor in French language and Hispanic languages. She has always had a vague idea of where her life would end up: "My goal was always to go to McGill, graduate and then pursue a more creative path." After graduation, she began photography classes and jewellery courses.When she is on the island, she works as the jeweller's apprentice at Crisson Jewellers: "At Crisson, I mostly work on pieces that come in for repair and learn from the jeweller, Don Anderson. I've really learned a lot from him in a relatively short period of time. He is by far the most skilled jeweller I know. I have had some creative opportunities with custom designs at Crisson and hope to eventually sell an exclusive line of my work with them."
At school, Jessica is creating jewellery in sterling silver, often with stones set into the metal. While in Bermuda, because she does not have a studio, she primarily uses beads. With glass, wood, Swarovski crystal, shells and semi-precious stones, Jessica assures us that there is "something for everyone."Bright and bubbly, Jessica did not have a bad word to say about any fads: "I tend not to judge even the designs I don't like too negatively because I know there is something for everyone... Trends will always have a few extremes and they will pass in time, but if you can pull it off and look good, wear it!" With such positive spirits, it is clear that Jessica will not let anything stand in the path of her dreams. She has created her own niche within the Bermudian jewellery market and hopes that when she returns to Bermuda that she can have more of her line in shops island-wide.
What is most astonishing about this young talent, however, is that she made her dream a reality. Many people sit on their talents and pursue something that they think will be more profitable. Humbly, Jessica says she, "kind of just gradually fell into it." Her advice to anyone looking to get into the field is education and practice: "If you are interested in it as just a hobby, there are many useful books that focus on different styles and techniques. Jewellery making takes patience, dedication and creativity. It can be difficult work, but when you finish a piece, it is definitely rewarding."For those interested in acquiring some of Jessica's fantastic jewellery, she takes custom orders or you can chose from her pre-existing work. Along with the photos in this article, you can check out more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdesignsbda/ or www.jessdismontjewelry.deviantart.com. Her photography is available to view at www.jessdismont.deviantart.com. You can email at jdesigns.bda [at] gmail.com for inquiries.
- Carly Lodge
