Born 1958
Owner of a 350 sq. ft. "jeweler in the window type" store in downtown Minneapolis.
I work alone with no employees offering all types of bench services, I only stock and sell jewelry I have made myself. My clients include the general public as well as engraving for other jewelers.
I started working with metal, jewelry making in 1973 taking a high school jewelry class. I set up a workshop in my basement that year with some of my grandfathers and great grandfathers jewelry tools. I attended the U-W Stout (a great school for learning a broad variety of classic skills) for 4 years studying fine art and jewelry. In 1988 I went completely full time on my own after working for several jewelers. I started professional engraving in 1985 using the push method until 2005 when I got the Lindsay classic. I engrave everything jewelry related, trophies etc. I am glad to do more than just engraving with my jewelry business as the variety of activities helps keep me fresh and steadily employed. I make a lot of wedding and custom jewelry as well. Being an engraver though sure sets me apart from other jewelers and has come to be my greatest advantage. Starting with a push graver was tough. I would say the first 5 years I was losing money (over my goldsmithing) every time I picked up a graver. It was slow going being extra careful not to wreck anything, tiny shavings to make a deep groove.
My next aspiration is to move into gun engraving to enlarge my "canvas" as jewelry tends to be space limited. Just have to wait for someone to come along and commission it as I always need to make money with the family to support. My first daughter was born in 1999 so I was without responsibility most of my adult life which enabled me to take chances, live on the edge and start my own business.
My hobbies include oil and egg tempera (mische) painting, yoga and gardening.
Most useful proverb for being a professional artist "What people don't know won't hurt them." (Told to me buy a client in the early days when I was disclosing too much about what I perceived were flaws in a piece they were purchasing from me.)
My web site is at:
www.jamesroettger.com
