Jewelry Revelations Jewelry Blog » Interview: Meet Elyse Graham of Elephant Heart Jewelry

Interview: Meet Elyse Graham of Elephant Heart Jewelry

Here at the Jewelry Revelations jewelry blog, we love Elephant Heart. Elyse Graham, the designer behind this line, was kind enough to allow me to bring you background information on her and Elephant Heart jewelry. Enjoy!

JR: How did you come up with the name Elephant Heart?

EG: My family and I share a love for a very special type of plum—the Elephant Heart plum—which is only in season for a couple weeks out of the year. After years of frustration at missing the plums when they’re in the market, my family decided to plant an Elephant Heart plum tree in our garden, only to discover that squirrels are also terribly fond of this particular fruit.

I was thinking about changing the name of my jewelry business from Elyse Jeanne to something that would better encompass the community work I was also interested in. As I was walking through the garden, I noticed that our plum tree had fruit on it for the first time in years. As I picked a piece, I was struck by the sweetness and beauty of the red center of the plum and knew I had found my name! The plum as a whole is delicious, but its true beauty comes from its big sweet heart —it is this sweetness and beauty that inspires Elephant Heart Jewelry.

JR: Did you always know you wanted to be a designer? Was there something else you were interested in?

EG: I’ve been interested in jewelry making since I was in high school. I have always enjoyed making things with my hands and the preciousness of jewelry was particularly interesting to me—I love objects of art that also serve a function. Education has also been an interest of mine. I spent some time working at a school before I started my jewelry business and I have made a conscious decision to incorporate working with students into Elephant Heart.

JR: Do you have a favorite piece or style in your current collection?

EG: Oh that’s such a difficult question! I have a couple favorites. Because I work with my hands most of the day, I favor simple earrings–pieces that I can put on in the morning with my jeans and wear throughout the day, knowing they’ll look great with something I might go out in that evening. I find myself constantly gravitating towards the Taco Hoop and the Wind Chime Earrings.

JR: What are your favorite materials to work with and why?

EG: I love working with natural stones and minerals—pieces that are not always seen as precious. I love the challenge of taking something a little rough and turning it into an object of beauty. I love the combination of un-facetted stones or wood with gold. The warmth and sparkle of gold is an incredible compliment for a bright turquoise or a dark brown wood. I have so much fun surprising myself with those parings.

JR: What suggestions do you have for aspiring jewelry designers?

EG: I love speaking with aspiring jewelry designers—they often have the most interesting ideas! It is often tempting to make jewelry that follows a trend when you’re first starting out, I would suggest creating the jewelry that YOU want to wear and that is exciting and challenging for you to make.

JR: I understand that your desire is to give back to the community. What is Elephant Heart’s most recent work in the community?

EG: I recently had the pleasure of hosting ten students from The Archer School in Los Angeles for their career day. I loved that the school takes a day out of their curriculum to allow students to visit a professional practicing in the students’ area of interest. I spoke with the students about pursuing a career in the arts. I hoped to reassure them that a career in a creative field is possible and incredibly fulfilling. After talking about what I do with Elephant Heart, I taught the students a silk bead cord knotting technique. Everyone picked up the skill right away and made beautiful necklaces and bracelets.

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