Conversations with Jewels Franz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jewels Franz.

Hi Jewels, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Textiles and hand making has always been an integral part of my life. I grew up in a small city in central southeastern Pennsylvania, historically a textile manufacturing town. In my childhood, I was taught by a close family member how to machine sew and construct garments, constantly mending and making for myself and my family. Later, I taught myself how to knit to bear the bores of lecture-based classes and unknowingly discovered my passion. In college, I learned traditional techniques such as shibori dyeing and handweaving, also exploring embroidery and expanding on my knitted work. After receiving my Bachelor’s, I worked in textile manufacturing for a few years in my hometown, gaining familiarity with traditional machinery, tools, and general practices in large-scale textile manufacturing. During this time, I participated in renowned production craft shows such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show in 2019 and the American Craft Council Show in 2020. In 2021, I made the decision to move away from my hometown and drive across the country to Denver, Colorado in the hopes of making my living creating textiles to adorn people’s homes.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A journey never comes without obstacles. Firstly, I’ve spent boatloads of money preparing for and participating in shows that were hugely unsuccessful. At the times when this happened, I felt so intensely crushed and defeated that I almost gave in to the urge to destroy all of my work. This perceived defeat resulted in a number of identity crises when it came to my work, and I even stopped making for a little while. I also had a few traumatic personal experiences between 2018 and 2019 that reframed my entire life. I was in a car accident that almost took my life, and then six months later a house fire destroyed much of my material stash and turned my world completely upside down. The only thing that kept me close to sane during the time afterwards was making; while evacuating, the universe graced my mother with the forethought to grab the huge commission I was working on before leaving the house. In the weeks following the fire, working on this project allowed me to continue my practice and stay as grounded as I could during the time that I was most vulnerable.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a textile artist/craftsman specializing in fine art and home textiles. I’m mostly a weaver, creating fine art textiles inspired by aspects of the land and the people, examining their interactions. My woven work consists of hand-dyed, textural woven artworks that incorporate modern innovations of traditional techniques, as well as functional products that are focused on comfort and ease of care without sacrificing aesthetic. The main aspect of my work that sets me apart from others is my style of warping, as well as my twist on the traditional supplemental weft technique. When creating my warps, I use a small amount of a wide variety of materials, including certain novelty yarns, to obtain a heightened textural effect across the piece. For surface design details, I use a unique variation of the traditional inlay technique, where I place supplemental weft threads into one part of the weaving and later reattach the same threads to create a desired motif, incorporating natural materials and beading techniques into some of the pieces. I also make a variety of home textiles, ranging from rugs to table runners to pillows, all mindfully woven to be as comforting on the skin as possible white still remaining visually pleasing. In addition, I operate my studio in the most sustainable way possible; most of the materials I use to create the work are either salvaged, thrifted, or mill ends that would otherwise be tossed, making each piece truly one-of-a-kind. My experience working in the textile manufacturing industry exposed me to the reality of the egregious amount of quality yarn that is thrown away every day to eventually end up in landfills; this encouraged me to operate my studio with no waste and use mostly recycled yarns.

The work I am most proud of is most definitely my commissioned work. This work is by far the most fulfilling to create; I adore the process of creating custom work for others’ spaces. My favorite past commission is a piece called “Rigidity Flows,” a piano cover I designed and constricted for the President of my former college. This piece perfectly blurs the line between decoration and function; a lovely harmony of design, form, and practicality. What sets me apart from others is my use of technique and material to create unique textures and forms in both my decorations and functional work. Additionally, my experience in many different specified areas of the textile world has provided me with expanded knowledge in a variety of disciplines.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Ann-Marie Hawkinson. She is the wife of the President of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania where I received my Bachelor’s. After I graduated, she commissioned a project from me that not only helped me through one of the most difficult parts of my life but also was the most fulfilling to design and create. My Mom. She not only saved one of the biggest commissions I’ve ever done but has also always supported me and actively helped me throughout some of the toughest bouts of owning a small business.

Laura Birgen-Palmer, the lady who started it all. My aunt and sewing mentor, she spent every other weekend with me as a child providing me with my first bit of textile knowledge, sowing the seeds for my passion for all things fiber.

Contact Info:

• Website: jf-textiles.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jftextiles/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jftextiles