Meet Phyllis Cahill | Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Phyllis Cahill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Phyllis, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I’ve been self-employed for many years, so when I switched to making jewelry it was a natural decision. Also, the full-time employment options for jewelers are limited. If you’re hired as a bench jeweler, you spend most of your time repairing jewelry, resizing rings and reproducing someone else’s designs. I wanted the creative challenge of making my own designs.

What should our readers know about your business?
How does your business help the community or the world?

I hope my jewelry brings beauty to the world and makes those who wear it feel wonderful.

How do you think about risk? What role has taking risks played in your life/career?

Life wouldn’t be very interesting without risk, would it? You don’t know what’s going to happen until you try something, so I keep trying new things. I work with polymer which isn’t a traditional material, and I mix it with precious metal and semi-precious stones to create something new. That means exploring uncharted territory which is a risk.

What is the most important factor behind your success/the success of your brand?

I try to make pieces that make people say, “Wow, that’s beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it!” I focus on quality craftsmanship and jewelry that’s comfortable. The advantage of polymer is that it’s lightweight, so I can make large earrings without them being painful to wear.

How to know whether to keep going or to give up?

When I try and try and try something and it’s just not working, then I know it’s time to move on. Maybe I’ll come back to it later with new ideas or maybe not. I have to be practical about how I spend my time.

How has your work/life balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?

I think it’s important to maintain a routine that allows time for things other than work, such as exercise, relaxation and refilling the creative well. When you’re self-employed it’s easy to work all the time. Then you risk burnout and ill health, so I’ve found it better to prevent that with good habits.

What makes you happy?

I like to see a design I’ve envisioned come to life. Oftentimes that means solving problems. Overcoming those challenges makes me happy. I also like to see people happy to wear my jewelry.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, without whom I wouldn’t be the artist I am today.

Website: phylliscahilldesign.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phylliscahilldesign/

Image Credits
I took all of these photos.