In this episode of the Slowmade Podcast, I’m talking with jewelry and lapidary artist Leora Coronel.
Leora lives in Northern California, where her work is deeply connected to the Yuba River. She collects stones from the river, cuts them herself, and transforms them into jewelry that carries a strong sense of place.
Our conversation begins with the long and winding path that led Leora into jewelry. From collecting rocks as a child, to making feather earrings while working at a yoga studio in Los Angeles, to slowly learning metalwork and eventually finding her way into lapidary, Leora shares how working with her hands has always filled a deep need to create.
We talk about what it means to work with materials from your own surroundings, and how powerful it can feel to turn something ordinary and often overlooked into something wearable and meaningful. Leora shares how learning to cut her own river stones opened up a whole new world in her work and became one of the most defining parts of her creative path.
We also talk about the push and pull so many independent artists feel between making what lights us up and making what sells. Leora speaks honestly about depending on her jewelry for income, the pressure that can put on the work, and the gratitude she feels that much of what she loves to make also connects with her customers.
This conversation also moves into teaching, imposter syndrome, and creative confidence. Leora shares how she slowly began offering private lessons and workshops, including lapidary classes, and how rewarding it has been to help other artists experience the excitement of cutting their own stones for the first time.
We also get into the current realities of being a working jewelry artist, including slow sales, rising silver prices, shifting away from depending solely on Instagram, and finding ways to diversify income while staying connected to the work.
What I loved most about this conversation is Leora’s honesty. She doesn’t make the creative path sound perfectly clear or easy. Instead, she speaks about following one step, then another, staying open to what the materials offer, and continuing to make because the work brings satisfaction, joy, and meaning.
Follow along...
Leora on Instagram: @leoracoroneljewelry
Leora’s website: leoracoronel.com
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