Jessica Lewis is a Montana-based metalsmith who is best known for the beautifully unique jewelry she creates for her online shop, Ruby and Revolver. She is also the mother of a two-year-old daughter, who she is raising with her husband in the home they constructed with their own hands in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Thanks to her tireless work ethic and disciplined creativity, Jessica has built an authentic and full life around the things she loves most– her family, her craft, and Western landscapes.
Montana’s rugged mountains and valleys have been a part of Jessica’s life for as long as she can remember, and even though she has traveled widely, she has always returned to Big Sky Country. The Rocky Mountain landscapes inform many aspects of her work, as does her ethic of “doing more with less.” By American standards, she and her family embrace a purposefully minimalist lifestyle which allows Jessica to focus on quality over quantity in both her professional and personal endeavors. In our world of constant connectivity and endless distraction, I’m truly inspired by Jessica’s genuine and mindful approach toward living a simple yet rich and meaningful life.
Jessica was kind enough to take a break from her numerous projects for this fun conversation about her life, creative process, and love of Montana. We chatted about how she got her start making jewelry and how the impending birth of her daughter inspired her to pursue art full time. We talked about how she began making jewelry with the simplest of tools, and how the desire for fancy equipment can distract from the act of making art. We talk a lot about parenthood, and Jessica explains how becoming a mother shifted her perspectives on work and life. We discuss our shared appreciation for Stoic philosophy, and how several specific books have impacted Jessica’s creativity. We talk about the importance of international travel and wisdom gained from spending time abroad. And as usual, we discuss favorite books about the West, the best advice she’s ever received, and several of her unexpected hobbies.
I really loved the conversation and know you will too. Thanks again to Jessica for taking the time to chat. Enjoy!
Photos courtesy of Jessica Lewis
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Episode Notes
Topics Discussed:
- 3:40 – How Jessica describes her work
- 5:00 – Jessica’s jewelry described
- 7:00 – Embracing the rawness of her work
- 8:50 – Materials used for her jewelry
- 10:30 – Why she was drawn to metalworking
- 12:15 – Starting out with simple tools
- 14:30 – Importance of her studio
- 17:00 – Making the leap into full-time art
- 19:45 – The bravery to pursue artistic dreams
- 22:50 – How kids change parents’ perspectives
- 23:45 – Creative mentors and influences
- 25:50 – Books that have influenced creativity
- 29:30 – Daily routines
- 30:55 – Importance of exercise
- 31:50 – Living in the Bitterroot Valley
- 32:45 – Growing up in Montana
- 35:30 – International travels*
- 36:45 – Lessons learned from international travel
- 39:00 – “Doing more with less”
- 42:00 – Ed’s weird story about accumulating junk
- 44:00 – More on parenthood and its effects
- 46:10 – Advice to new parents
- 48:30 – Current project of building a new house by hand
- 52:00 – Jessica’s healthy relationship with technology
- 57:15 – Advice to aspiring creatives
- 59:50 – Favorite books
- 1:03:25 – Favorite films
- 1:05:30 – Surprising activities
- 1:07:00 – Favorite location in the West
- 1:08:30 – Best advice received
- 1:10:30 – Request of the listeners
- 1:11:50 – Connect with Jessica online
- (*Quick correction – In our discussion around travel, we mistakenly mispoke about Maoist insurgency in Vietnam, which was incorrect. The insurgency was in Nepal, where Jess also worked in the women’s clinic. Apoloigies for any confusion!)
Information Referenced:
- Ruby and Revolver
- Jessica on Instagram
- Matt Eich – Instagram and Website
- The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
- Stoic Philosophy
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
- Florence, MT
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Screen Time App for iPhone
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
- Mountain & Prairie Book Club
- Meditations by Marcus Areilus
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
- The Dawn Wall
- A River Runs Through It
- Bob Marshall Wilderness
- Frank Church Wilderness
- Bitterroots
- Sawtooths
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these as well:
- Jillian Lukiwski – Art and Adventure in the American West
- Camrin Dengel – Slow Living in the American West
- Cate Havstad – Cultivating Creativity & Craftsmanship
