Meet Heidi Gibson of Heidi Gibson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Gibson.

Hi Heidi , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Heidi Gibson. I’m an artist and designer based in southern California. My background and degrees are in drawing and painting, yet my career took a serendipitous turn into jewelry design about 10 years ago. It started with a wildfire.

My original engagement ring was a princess cut solitaire. As an artist, I work a lot with my hands and I would often off take the ring. One year, we were in Colorado visiting my family for Christmas. When it was time to leave, I noticed that my ring was missing. We were in a hurry to get to the airport, so I figured I’d find it next time I was in town. Months went by without my ring, and that summer of 2012 saw some pretty horrific wildfires. The Waldo Canyon fire destroyed my parents house, reducing it to three feet deep of ash.

A non-profit organization called Samaritans Purse sorts through disaster areas and searches for valuables for the victims. Three days they searched and found nothing. The director had a dream after the last day at the house that she would find a ring in a pipe. She convinced the others to come back for one more day, – sure enough, my ring was found inside a bathtub drain pipe, damaged but protected. It likely would never have been found if the house hadn’t burned down!

I was then was able to claim insurance money to replace it. I started to look around at the engagement ring market, but there was nothing of interest for me. Everything looked similar and was poorly constructed; it was discouraging. I did like the style of antique rings, but the quality is poor. When the brittle gold breaks, there’s just not much that can be done to repair them, so they are generally not fit for everyday wear. I had a background in art and design and decided that I could create something better than this. I could fill in the gap here.

I used rose gold, which no one at the time was using. The design was based on Art Deco architecture, and the sunburst motif. Inspired by the long dramatic windows, the Gatsby featured straight lines interrupted and softened by curves.

It didn’t take long before strangers started commenting on the Gatsby design I was wearing. I saw the potential to build a business. There was a large hole in the market that could to be filled with miniature art: well-designed, built with the best materials, and able to be individually customized. At the time, I was an adjunct professor; I was painting murals, designing home theater art, painting hundreds of miniature portraits, teaching workshops, and was also mom to a one year old and three year old. So of course, what was one more thing to add to my plate?

I started right away. I didn’t have a business plan, I had a to do list. I always figure that it’s easier to direct a moving vehicle, so I just started moving. I designed four more pieces that I documented and listed as made-to-order in an Etsy account. The work took off off immediately. Each new piece I designed resulted in more requests. These led to thousands of pieces and combinations over the years, and the rest is history.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Having no background in business, the business side of things has been an intuitive process. I have no formal background in business, and my brain thinks as a creative, so it’s been a challenge to work on the corporate side of things.

My best advice here would be to know your own strengths and use them. Find the things that come naturally to you and do those things. I’m terrible with dates and time, but I can work in a task oriented way, so I’ll lean that direction. For things that you can’t do well or aren’t your strong points, hire a professional and let them shine. Don’t micro manage or put them in a box. This might include for me: website design, photography, accounting, and anything with logistics

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Heidi Gibson?
When it comes to jewelry, one size does not fit all. I believe in vintage-inspired, well-crafted pieces that are both contemporary and timeless. You won’t find prefab solitaires or boring halo designs on my site. Selecting an engagement ring should be a very personal experience that draws upon the clients’ distinctive preferences and style. I see the custom designs I create as tiny sculptures for your finger where every fraction of a millimeter is considered. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s not about the individual small stones, but rather the seamless blending of materials that transforms into something new and unexpected. Likewise, my designs become a part of a bigger story that isn’t my own, but one in which I’m thankful to play a role.

How do you think about happiness?
My client’s responses to their finished designs bring me endless happiness. These pieces come and go through my studio relatively quickly but then play a large role in the daily lives of my clients. Many clients return years down the road to add to their collections and tell stories about how much joy their rings have brought. I created a page on my website for them to tell their own stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heidigibson.com
• Instagram: @heidigibsondesigns

Image Credits
Trever Hoehne