In The Wild With Britt Hawkes From Sea + Pattern

by Leann DiPaola
We are back with our In The Wild features and our first subject is someone we absolutely love to work with! We chatted with one of our favorite stockists,  Britt Hawkes, the maker behind all the pieces we carry by Sea + Pattern. Check out our interview below and get to know Britt a little more intimately. You can check out all the pieces we carry by S+P and shop them all with this link! 

 
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into creating jewelry?
 I went to college for painting and drawing and while attending college I got a job working for Nordstrom. I’d always loved fashion and design and this was a great opportunity for me to learn the ins and outs of customer service. After graduating I got a job managing at a women’s retailer called Aritzia. There I was able to build my skill set and work in a smaller setting. With this job came great growth but I was still missing that creativity piece. In 2014, I started making jewelry as a hobby and people became interested after seeing it on IG. Next thing I knew I had my first wholesale account and was putting together a website! 
 
Where do you find inspiration before starting a new piece of jewelry or home item?
 I have a large collection of art books that I like to use for reference. Color theory has always been very fascinating to me as well as different textures throughout design so I usually like to start there. 


How do you recharge when you’re feeling creatively drained? 

Getting out of town typically helps reset my creativity. It could be driving 30 mins out of town or a full vacation as long as I’m in a new environment. Taking photos in another city always helps me gain some much needed inspiration. 
What does your process look like? 

When it comes to jewelry making I will randomly get ideas that I will sketch or make notes of on my phone. Other times I will have a hands-on work day where I’ll do a bunch of samples and mess around with the supplies I have available. As far as the home goods, there’s a little bit more to the process since I’m dealing with concrete. I have to plan each step carefully due to the concrete’s fast drying time. Since most pieces need pigment added I like to custom make a range of colors ahead of time so I’m fully prepared. After the piece is made it has to set, dry, be sanded, and be sealed. Lead time is preferred so I can make sure each step is achieved perfectly. 

 


What’s your favorite part about your process?

My favorite part is wearing the jewelry pieces out and getting feedback that way. That allows me to know what’s working and what’s not before adding to the website.  

How did you transition into creating jewelry and home goods full time? 

When I started S+P I had a full time job but as soon as I felt I wasn’t putting enough energy into my jewelry making I decided to cut back one day and then another day until finally I was able to take the leap to quit my full time job. With each time I cut back I would notice I was met with more opportunities and it reminded me of how much it was worth pursuing full time. 

Favorite summer activity in Oregon?

 Ahhh hard to choose because there are so many great ways to spend your summer in Oregon but one of my favorites is having a picnic at the International Rose Test Garden.

Thanks Britt! Be sure to check out more of her work at seaandpattern.com and catch her at one of our upcoming pop ups!

XO, WC 

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