Jenny Swift has been artsy for as long as she can remember. “When I was in elementary school, I was a competitive gymnast, and I made jewelry during the car rides on the way to my competitions,” she said. Jenny also begged her mom to take her to the bookstore where she could comb through books that explained how to make everything from knotted bracelets to beaded designs. It’s no surprise to any of us that Jenny is now a designer goldsmith.
As a professional, Jenny honed her craft while working at the Diamond Cellar. Today she’s part of the team at Jeff Johnson & Co., and most days you’ll find her sitting behind the bench, busily repairing or designing jewelry. “This is a great group of people; it’s a small environment, and we all get along,” she said about the atmosphere at Jeff Johnson & Co. “There’s no pressure here. It’s a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere, and our goal is the customer. We don’t have a salesperson mentality.”
Every day is a good day when you’re doing something you love, but Jenny is happiest when she can fabricate something, like taking an old piece of jewelry and making something new. “I like to rework the piece and make something out of it,” she said. One of her favorite projects took place when a customer came into the showroom with her parents’ wedding bands and engagement rings. She wanted to transform them into a pendant, and she gave Jenny free rein to design the piece.
It was a dream-come-true project for Jenny who loves to take things apart and put them back together. “You come up with better ideas when you can take things apart and when you have more time to think about it rather than on the spot,” Jenny explained. “You need time to process things and cut things apart and move them.”
The other aspect of the profession that motivates Jenny is the fact that every day is different. No two projects are alike, and there is no such thing as a typical day. Jenny can also collaborate with and bounce ideas off her colleagues. “Occasionally we get things in, and no matter how long you’ve been doing it, you still learn new things,” she said. “Jewelry comes from so many different places. You think you’ve seen everything, and then there’s something new.”
When Jenny’s not designing or repairing jewelry at Jeff Johnson & Co., she spends a great deal of her time working out. She likes body building and is currently training for a figure competition. A native of Upper Arlington, she now lives in Grandview Heights. “I like living in Columbus because my family and friends are here and because there’s plenty to do,” she added.