Mom On The Move: Artist Rachel Stewart

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Rachel Stewart Jewelry

Mom On The Move is a weekly profile of a mom mover and shaker. Women we admire, who inspire us and who have amazing stories to share, oh and they happen to have kids, too! While we love to talk about celebrity moms and their fabulous lives, we also love (and need) to know about real moms who are out here doing it all, just as fabulously. This week we’re profiling Rachel Stewart, founder of Rachel Stewart Jewelry , mother of 13-year-old Kenny and wife of photographer Chris Charles.

We first stumbled upon Rachel Stewart’s creatively bold designs while perusing Facebook and as we followed this artist’s work we became consumed by her ability to take everyday materials and make something that speaks to women from a place of their origins. And also, just be the ultimate fly girl in the room with her pieces.

Stewart was once an electronic technician and after being fired from her job years ago she decided she’d never let anyone hold her financial security in their hands, “that’s too much power,” she noted. That’s how Rachel Stewart Jewelry came to be. As a little girl, Rachel dreamed of being either an artist or mechanic, and if you look at the fine details of her work she’s definitely a builder and can certainly repair an outfit with her jewelry line.

Stewart’s work is funky and Afro-centric, and her jewelry has been known to make music video cameos. Read more about this mompreneur, what she hopes to do with her art, and see some must-have pieces.

Mommynoire: You’ve added everything from totes to duvet covers to your print shop? How did the print shop (wall prints, begging, rugs and more) come about?

Rachel Stewart: Apart from selling my paintings, I get asked about prints…I have been doing some photography lately and experimenting with digital art, I wanted to make this accessible to people who enjoy my jewelry as well as my art.

You’re also an artist/painter – what is your creative process like?

I don’t have one. I get my canvas and just start painting until it looks right. I never had a process.

Creativity seems to be a thread in your business moves and family, do you make sure your son gets a little creative time of his own? How so?

He has the freedom to create whatever he wants after his chores and homework. I make sure he has the tools he needs, I never try to influence what he creates, if I did it would be my work he is making not his.

Stewart and son Kenny

Your jewelry especially features and appeals to natural and Afro-centric women. How do you hope your jewelry and art makes her feel?

Many women are afraid to get noticed, even deciding to wear natural hair can be a challenge because it will get you attention, good and bad, a woman who wears my jewelry has decided she wants to be noticed and she doesn’t care what you think about her style, she knows you see it and that’s why she rocks it.

How has being a mom influenced you career choices?

It hasn’t, if it paid…I was doing it.

What’s your best way to get things done?

I’m not the most organized but I am efficient, I don’t have a system. I’m a night owl to the core, luckily my husband also works from home, so we both are up till the sun rises sometimes and it’s not an issue.

Stewart and Chris

Where do you find the most inspiration?

It’s hard to say what I’m really influenced by, there isn’t one thing or person that influences me, but I do have music and movie themes in my work. For example, my Nola Darling pin and earrings are of course influenced by Spike Lee’s movie She’s Gotta Have It. When I get an idea, it’s organic, it’s my idea, not something I might have seen another person do.

What’s next for Rachel Stewart Jewelry and you as a mompreneur?

I’m going to start creating 3D printed jewelry, it’s going to give my ideas so much more life, the possibilities are endless with a 3D printer.

What’s your favorite thing about your company? … and also your fav piece of jewelry you’re rocking right now?

My favorite thing is that it’s all created and controlled by me, every image you see, every graphic you see, every piece of jewelry is designed by me–no third party, no wholesales.–every piece is made with my hands. I’ve been knocked off so many time, but I’ll never knock off. My favorite piece now is my Nola Darling solid wood pin!