Meet Sara Grace Wiley | Jewelry Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Grace Wiley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara Grace, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always been drawn to the arts while I was growing up.

When I was younger, if I got bored, I would take up a new hobby. I tried all sorts of things, like special effects makeup, making clothes out of ducktape, video editing, and much more, just because I wanted to try something new. As a kid, trying new artistic hobbies gave me more to look forward to and appreciate about life.

Some were consistent passions of mine, such as drawing, writing, theater, and playing the piano. These have played a significant role in shaping who I am and inspire new work. They have taught me different things about myself, connected me with fellow creatives I now call friends, and motivated me so much in life.

Life can be hard, and art often helps lift me out of difficult times. Art gave me a chance to take my feelings and turn them into something productive. At one point, I wasn’t able to lift myself out of it for a while. I wasn’t motivated at all to do anything, but that all changed once I started getting involved in theater. It reshaped the way that I thought about life. I learned to love learning because doing well in school meant I was allowed to pursue my interests outside of school. Being creative and doing so surrounded by like-minded people gave me a safe place to find myself and make a better life for myself.

I’ve always been a maker in one way or another. Creating art and music has helped me through many challenging things, and I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t have these creative outlets. Making art has given my life such joy and purpose. I think I was always meant to pursue it as a career, and I’m thankful that I’ve been given the chance to.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m proud of where I started versus where I am now. I think one of the biggest challenges in anything is to be kind to yourself and remember that mistakes are not only common, but also are supposed to happen. It’s important to remember where you came from and what you worked through along the way.

I would say I did not get to where I am easily. I had never made jewelry or worked with metal before changing my major, so I was starting from the ground up with everything. Naturally, there were lots of times when I completely melted my projects, broke things, and had to come up with different solutions, but I like to think I’ve come a long way since then. While there are many different challenges in every piece, I’ve always been willing to make mistakes and learn from them. I think the best lessons learned are from considerable struggles and failures along the way. One of my favorite quotes I heard while working at Tiffany and Co. was to “Fail fast, Fail forward.” The word failure has such a negative connotation, but it’s not always a bad thing. I believe that massive failures are the key to even bigger successes. I find it’s important to take a minute to breathe and know that everything is going to work out. The way that I get through things is just by knowing it’s part of the process, and it will be worth it in the end.

I think what sets me apart from others is my willingness to keep an open mind and improve. There are plenty of techniques that are challenging in the beginning or times when things do not come out the way you expected them to. It’s easy to want to give up after the first time, but the best things often take the most time and effort to get right.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve loved living in Georgia. It’s such a stunning place with people who are excited to be there. Since graduating from SCAD and moving to NYC, I have missed Georgia dearly, so I recently found myself visiting.

My week was a dream, and I packed a lot of things into it.

One place I had been missing was Forsyth Park. Everything in Forsyth Park is gorgeous and peaceful. It’s really nice to go there and draw or spend time with friends. You see a lot of different people enjoying their days in a variety of ways when you’re there. You see anything between farmers markets on Saturday mornings, dog Halloween contests, weddings, and picnics.

I’ve also realized that I’m not someone who can name a favorite food; instead, I’m someone who has favorite meals. All of my favorite meals are in Savannah. I sincerely missed going to a variety of different restaurants, such as Savannah Square Pops for gourmet popsicles, Flock to the Wock for sweet and sour shrimp, Better than Sex for root beer floats, and Zunzis for the conquistador sandwich. Not only are they delicious, but I associate them with a feeling of being home, as home is what I called Savannah for 4 years.

Another absolute must is Totally Awesome Bar for karaoke night. The atmosphere is so fun, and I always have a great time when I go. There are so many cool places to hang out, like TAB or Gallery Espresso. Savannah has endless stores, restaurants, and bars to explore, and I would highly recommend going. I think Savannah will always have a very special place in my heart, as it is beautiful and filled with positive energy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate in life and have had a lot of support throughout my life and creative career, so it is a bit difficult to narrow down my answer.

First, I would like to thank my family for always supporting me and exposing me to art and music. As an artist, creating often comes with a lot of doubt, and they never let me give up on myself. Art is never going to be perfect, and that’s what makes it so special. Yes, a few are born with artistic talents, but art and music take practice just like any other thing. It can be tough to remember that and to keep pushing through it sometimes. I didn’t always believe in myself, and I really can’t express how blessed I am to have a family that has always did.

I’m thankful for all of the brilliant individuals who have taught me in the past in any subject. I have been so lucky to receive support from such remarkable, kind, and inspiring people. Every experience has the potential to teach you something if you’re looking to learn.

I’m especially appreciative of the privilege of learning from my jewelry professors, Jay H. Song, Lanelle Keyes, Hongsock Lee, Annika Petterson, and Adam Grinovich. My professors at Savannah College of Art and Design taught me more than I ever thought was possible, gave me a multitude of opportunities, and assisted in nourishing my deep love and appreciation for creating jewelry. None of what I have done would have been possible without their guidance and support throughout my artistic journey. They all pushed me to reach my full potential, and words cannot describe how grateful I am to know them and learn from them.

I’m also proud to say I’ve had the pleasure of working with incredible companies that have all accepted me with open arms, mentored me, and given me valuable experience in the industry. I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to all of the wonderful people at Tiffany and Co., Stuller Inc., Diana Jewelers of Liverpool LLC, Brooklyn Metalworks, and R2Net. Each company has helped me significantly through my career development, and I could not be more grateful to have had the chance to work with them.

Thank you to everyone who has consistently been there for me. I don’t know how I got to be so lucky to have such a strong support system.

Website: https://www.behance.net/SaraGraceWiley

Instagram: gw.jewelry_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-wiley-4449a1224/

Image Credits
Mandee Bertone
Mills Lynerd
Bobby Pache