So, I’ve been really into jewelry design lately and kept hearing about Courtney Shields’ brand. Figured it was time to dig into her backstory. Started by googling her name plus “inspiration” around midnight last Tuesday, coffee in hand.
First thing that popped up was her Instagram page. Scrolled through hundreds of posts – tons of nature shots: desert plants, ocean waves, cracked earth textures. Felt like she was obsessed with organic patterns. Screenshotted the most repeated ones: cactus spines and dried riverbeds.
The Deep Dive Phase
Next day I hit her brand website’s “About” section. Super minimal – just a vague line about “elements underfoot.” Annoying. Went hunting for podcast interviews instead. Found this 45-minute episode where she finally spilled:
- Childhood summers in New Mexico digging for turquoise with her grandma
- Her habit of pressing leaves/rocks into sketchbook pages when hiking
- How postpartum depression made her notice cracks in everything (!!!)
My jaw dropped at that last one. Started sketching immediately – jagged lines intersecting smooth curves.
Connecting the Dots
Checked her jewelry photos again with fresh eyes. Realized:
- Those “abstract” pendants? Actual scans of desert mud cracks
- Earrings with bumps? 3D prints of pebbles from her backyard creek
- Dull gold finish? Inspired by tarnished family heirlooms
Tried recreating her cracked texture technique with air-dry clay. Messy as hell. Got clay chunks stuck to my cat’s tail. Gave up after three attempts.
Final lightbulb moment? Her branding colors match exactly the landscape near Taos, New Mexico. Pulled up travel blogs to confirm – yep, terracotta reds and dusty blues everywhere. Never would’ve guessed without hearing her voice crack describing it.
Left my notebook full of mud-stained pages feeling like I’d walked her actual creative path. Still can’t make decent jewelry though.