Meet Catherine Prosser

Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Prosser.

Hi Catherine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I learned how to make jewelry at Pioneer high school, and then moved to Greenville, SC, in 2008 and had my son, Devin. Him and I moved to Chattanooga, TN in 2012 and met my business partner Courtney Ingram in 2013. We started our jewelry business, Renegade Jewelry, in 2015, selling our art online and in person at markets. Then started selling wholesale jewelry in 2017. Being a full-time artist helped me to be home more to be with my son, and it also allowed me to have a creative outlet, and it served my entrepreneurial spirit. Last year I decided I wanted to be closer to my family in Michigan, so my son and I moved to Ann Arbor, Mi in October of last year and settled in here. My first event displaying my art in Michigan at DIYpsi in June was amazing, and I am looking forward to expanding the business here in Michigan. Currently looking to set up at more art shows and find some amazing shops to partner up with. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are always struggles and bumps in the road when it comes to being a full-time artist, but I think the covid shutdown was one of the hardest setbacks for us and our art business. We were in the process of signing up for our first wholesale trade show in Atlanta when lockdown happened. We did what we had to do to survive, like getting side jobs while still running the online store. It took three years of perseverance and planning, but we got back to better than where we were and just recently accomplished our goal of attending that same wholesale trade show in Atlanta, GA! 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Soldering raw materials by hand. And working with metal to create timeless pieces of jewelry that are simple and unique enough to wear every day. We are known for our minimalist earrings, septum jewelry, and our turquoise rings. Our front-back ear jackets, ear cuffs, climbers, micros studs, chain threaders, ear pins, cuff bracelets, and necklaces are comfortable and easy to wear or gift. One of our favorite and most popular products are the tiny universal hoops that you can wear in any piercing. We only use sterling silver and 14 K gold-filled materials, as well as 14 K rose gold-filled! We also offer oxidized black jewelry; any of our pieces in silver can be oxidized black for a totally different and fun look. We offer guarantee on all of our products and discounted replacements. We work with our customers to make sure they get the perfect fit and style for them. 

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Thankfully, handmade design and jewelry is one industry that won’t be taken over by AI or computers. In the future, I could see ear styling or jewelry styling becoming more important, as everyone has unique individual piercing combinations and needs a unique set of jewelry that all go together. 

Pricing:

• $18-$125

Contact Info:

• Website: www.renegade.jewelry
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/renegade.jewelry
• Facebook: www.faceboook.com/renegade-jewelry
• Other: www.etsy.com/shop/renegadesilver