Meet Erica Clum of Earthling Jewelry in Atwater and Glendale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Clum.

Erica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

I’m going to blame this one on L.A. I “mysteriously” landed in Los Angeles in 2005 after spending my life up until then in small rural towns with lots of space & quiet & trees. I was overwhelmed. Through a stroke of luck, I landed a career in as a costumer/wardrobe stylist, which was exciting & fun but also very stressful & I am the sensitive type & I don’t cope with stress well. (Does anyone really?) I knew I wanted more control over my days so I set out to find a way to make money that suited me better. I have always been very visual & creative, though I really thought I would never be good enough at any art form to actually make living at it.

I was fascinated by the concept of melting metal & forming it onto shapes, it felt so magical to me, so alchemical. So, I found a community jewelry class & began to learn the craft.

The other issue I was having in this spread-out city was making friends that stuck & finding comment, something I had taken for granted in the small towns of my past. I began to search for a way to build community, get people around me.

A few years later when it came time to find a studio space, I again, luck brought me a way bigger space than I needed for a reasonable price. Though reasonable, I was still going to need help paying the rent. So, I decided to panel it off into small affordable studios for other creatives looking to take their next step into their destinies. I also opened a shop in the front selling vintage clothing & the creations of my own & my studio mate’s.

This was all great, but I was still hankering for more community. A steady thing. I been holding a mostly “Ladies hang” an evening for women to gather do what women do, help each other. Share information, find housing, jobs, make friends, share, fears & accomplishments, launch business. This morphed into a gathering space for art shows & pop up shop, raging parties, record releases, breath work mediation, yoga classes & a life coaching circle. Really anything the community needs.

I cannot convey what this community has brought to my life, it reminds me of the old days when neighbors took care of each other, women gossiped & cared for children & sick together. Men hung out together, shot the breeze. You get the picture. It’s what I feel is missing most from our fast paced over achieving, gimme gimme gimme, “look at me” society.

In summary, the space is called “Goldmine” because it is! It’s a treasure trove of love & human connection, laughter & tears. And I LOVE IT!!!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

I don’t think the creative road is often a smooth road, at least not in my experience. I have struggled with my own harsh judgment of my creations, often feeling reluctant to put them out into the world because I don’t think they are good enough. For some people creation comes hand in hand with the struggle to untangle your personal psychosis and this is very true for me. I believe my creativity is a tool for growth & healing. It is amazing to see what “roadblocks” I throw up for myself to navigate. To someone else they seem so silly and truly they are, but I may as well have herd of wild banshees blocking my path.

So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Earthling Jewelry story. Tell us more about the business.

My business is Earthling Jewelry, I am owner & creator. I also run a store (open by appointment) called Goldmine which also houses my jewelry studio.

I specialize in otherworldly inspired jewelry using the lost wax method. A lot of my pieces are organic looking like long lost treasure that’s been unearthed. I love working with gems & minerals in their raw form, just as they come out of the earth. I am known for large stone rings I refer to as “Alien cell phones” (in case you need to “phone home”).

In addition to jewelry meant to be worn, I cast natural objects. Bones, crystals, snake rattles, raptor talons (all humanely sourced) and anything I find that looks interesting. I also carve symbolic pieces out of wax. I am a believer in amulets & talismans and wear my jewelry like a prescription.

I am extremely proud of my business, but the thing that makes me most proud is that I had the courage to let go of certainty in the form of a job with a steady paycheck and forge my own path into the great unknown, which is a daily journey. Though it is not always easy to have a self-generated income, I am learning to trust & ride the highs & lows. I try not get too bogged down when I have a lean month. I just keep doing my art, one foot in front of the other & the money eventually comes.

I hand make it myself in my studio (which is also a boutique) in North east L.A.

My production supervisor is 7.5-pound platinum blonde Chihuahua named June Carter.

Come check us out!!

Goldmine is open by appointment, best acquired by texting 323.810.1900

4225 San Fernando Rd Glendale 91204

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?

Luck is really preparation meeting opportunity, so in that sense, I feel lucky!

I seem to encounter the right people & situations at the right time, I try to be always be prepared to seize it. I believe the more opportunities you accept, the more that come your way.

Pricing:

• Jewelry prices range from $45.00 to $350.
• Vintage clothing from $10.00 to $300.
• Handmade goods & art $15.00-$500.

Contact Info:

• Address: Goldmine Home of Earthling Jewelry 4225 San Fernando Road Glendale 91204
  open by appointment
• Website: www.earthlingjewelry.com
• Phone: 323.810.1900
• Email: earthlingjewelry@gmail.com
• Instagram: @earthlingjewelry @itsagoldmine
• Facebook: Earthling Jewelry

Image Credit:
All photography by @laurenhurtphoto