Okanagan Lifestyle x Scenic Route Jewellery
A Discussion Between our CEO + Founder, Jax, and Brittani of Scenic Route Jewellery
Scenic Route Jewellery—How it Came to be
Brittani—Back in 2013, I was on Instagram one day, just watching people in their craft, making jewellery from scratch. At the time, I was making charm necklaces and beaded rings, and I realized there's so much more to jewellery making than that. On Instagram, they were using torches, hammers, and raw materials, and I thought "I can make whatever I want? I didn't know this was possible." I went on Google to look up schools to go to that were near me, and Nelson came up. I went to Nelson for 10 months to learn what I do now. The mountains are a huge inspiration to me, and I went there as a child, so it just drew me there. I graduated, and that was 10 years ago. I've been doing this ever since.
Bringing the Collaboration to Life
Jax—You were following along one of the stories that I posted when we moved from our loft space. I was all the way pregnant I believe. I posted that we needed boxes to move into our now location of our headquarters on Cannery Lane. You shot a DM that said "I have boxes, I can help." That's how we first met.
Brittani—I remember loading the boxes into my car, driving over to your older location, like "Hi, I'm here with the boxes."
Jax—It's funny how we meet people along the way, all the little seeds they plant in our brains, and all of the wide ways people support one another in this region. Whether it's "Oh, I have a box, you need a box?", or "I can make jewellery, you want to make jewellery? Lets make some jewellery."
You posted something really rad and I said "Wow, this is so innovative and cool, I love this. We should work together on something one day, that would be really excellent." "I would love that, I would love to collaborate one day," is what I think you responded back. That was 5 years ago and so we made a sample. In such an unprecedented, wild season of life through pandemic. I remember we had opened our headquarters 6 months prior, and when we made the prototype, which is my ring that I have been wearing now for 5 years, we were smack in the middle of pandemic and you had to hand me this sample over our dutch door at a distance. I remember feeling like I couldn't put it on right away because I had to sanitize it. I have worn this piece of jewellery since that day you handed it to me, for 5 years. In so many different seasons of life, riding so many different kinds of waves of all sizes. I'm looking down at this piece of jewellery and seeing the four icons and it's offering me this really profound sense of peace and belonging. Sometimes I just rub my fingers along the jewellery and I'll twirl it around and think about the ways in which this community shows up for one another. Here we are 5 years later and offering the same kind of custom pieces out into community.
The Making Process
Brittani—This isn't something that is mass produced, I make it here in Kelowna in my garage studio. The pieces start out as raw materials, so they're in strips. It's straight wire and I cut everything down to size with my saw. I'm using some elbow grease and my tools. Throughout that process they get a little bit rough and scratched up so I have to also file and buff, which Jax got to do.
Jax—I got to be a workshop assistant. Britt put me to work, showed me how to be a goldsmith, it was awesome.
Brittani—Yeah! There's fire involved so I use my torch. I bring the ends of the metal together so it's seamless. You'll never be able to guess that it started out flat. Then I use the stamp and a hammer and that's how the icons get in the pieces.
Jax—We were talking about in the making process, in her workshop, it's such a beautiful symbolic and metaphorical process creating jewellery in the way of all the different pressures, and heat, and all that goes into the making of a custom piece of jewellery. It's so conducive to this community at large, and how through all of these different things that nature throws at us and life throws at us, we ride the waves, and more often then not, we make really beautiful things and really beautiful art through that process in this region. So, for me I'm just tremendously inspired by that process with you. We love slow making around here! It's just really profoundly cool to be a part of it.
More than Metal
Brittani—I love jewellery because it's something that is so close to us physically but also the stories that are held inside them. You can hold them close, like Jax is right now.
Jax—You were telling us about the grounding behind raw materials and when you hold something in your hand how it makes you feel. I love that you have that granular focus on the materials that you use and the intentionality of the moments that you appreciate. When you need a moment like a breathing break, or some grounding, you can twirl your ring and you're reminded of someone, or something, or of a sense of place. I love that about your work and that you have that so built into your ethos of your brand. Even the quotes that you have up in your workshop, I was like "ooh", ahh", "good one."
Brittani—Definitely, my pieces aren't meant to be trendy or thrown out. It's something long lasting, even something you can pass on. Maybe to a friend, or hold it close for someone in the future as a generational heirloom.
To Our Community
Jax—It's so awesome to share a little bit of the making process. I'm excited for people to be able to rock their admiration of this place in this new form. This is our first ever kick at the can at jewellery after 10 years. It's pretty special to get to do it together with you. Someone who is living, and loving, and breathing, and adventuring in our community, and making this in your workshop with your hands. So cheers to that!
Brittani—I am just so honoured to be part of this and part of our community. It's been something I feel like I manifested. I've been wanting to work together for so long so it just feels very aligned and I'm very excited to get all these pieces into your hands!
Jax—Likewise! We're going to have 2 styles of rings and a necklace with 2 variations of lengths to start. It's just the beginning!