I'm Jessie, the artist behind Body Talk Jewelry. 

To tell the story of my work, I also have to tell the story of my body.
I first discovered my passion for jewelry making 2010 when I learned bead embroidery as a way to pass the time. 4 years after major surgery to remove benign ovarian tumors, I found myself still struggling with my health. My ovaries, uterus, and digestive system were so inflamed that my symptoms often kept me indoors, feeling stuck as I sat and recovered. I was sick, sad, and bored out of my mind.
 
Struggling with the loneliness of being sick at a young age, I reached out to a good friend, Amy Lubbs. She brought me her raunchy humor, sugary snacks, trashy movies, and her newest project - a bead embroidery pendant. I was hooked the moment I laid my eyes on her work. The rows upon rows of brightly colored and perfectly placed beads enchanted me. Days later she shows up at my door with a handmade beadwork kit to get me started. 
 
I obsessively took to beadwork and making jewelry. I played with color, design, and bright shiny gemstones. I'd found a way to be creative, keep myself present, and allow my body time to heal. The tedious, focused nature of stitching each bead grounded me.

Although I continued to struggle with my health, over the next years I would graduate from college and begin my career as a hairstylist. When I began my education and certification,  fellow hairstylists would not my severe allergies and health issues - they told me I would have to work in a bubble to make it in this industry. In any industry. That's when I made my hair salon/jewelry studio, and called it Bubble.

In 2017 I underwent another major surgery to remove more benign ovarian tumors. I again felt sick, sad and alone.
In 2018 I began working on my Body Talk jewelry line to put my story out to the public to try and find community. I created this titanium jewelry line focused on starting a conversation about bodies, invisible illness and disabilities. I created designs that represented my body at different stages in my life. I printed a small artist statement about my health story and how I was trying to reframe the way I thought about my body and scars. How I wanted to stop seeing my body as an obstacle, but instead as a symbol of survival. 
 
I was terrified to be so vulnerable with my work, but sold them anyway and showed up in person at a local artisan market. That day is one I will never forget. I was received with countless supporters telling me of their health struggles, their pain, and the way my story resonated with theirs. Those moments and memories will last me a lifetime. 

In May 2021 at 33 years old I underwent a surgery to diagnose endometriosis that resulted in a hysterectomy of my ovaries and uterus. Surgical menopause has triggered a migraine disorder that has kept me incapacitated and unable to work since. As isolating as this experience has been, I have met so many folks online and in person that have gone through so much in their bodies and feel as alone as I do.

After many years of making I can tell you that my relationship with my craft evolves. I find myself learning something new about my technique and myself with each piece that I create. My style is different with each piece, which allows me to work with materials from titanium to vintage beads/objects to hand picked gemstones. I love to create custom work for my clients to combine my aesthetic and skillset with their personal style. I stand by the durability of my products, and hope that they will be around long after my lifetime. Each bead is hand stitched with care, each titanium piece is hand treated and assembled. I have a personal connection to every piece I create and to every person who wears my jewelry. 

- Jessie Moench