MiVT: Jane Frank Jewelry Design

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and nobody understands that better than Jane Frank.

“It’s hard to explain. I just like beautiful things, from my taste,” she laughed.

Frank owns Jane Frank Jewelry Design, based in Burlington. Classically trained under a goldsmith in Germany for more than four years, her work is unlike most you’ve probably seen.

“I am not focusing on diamonds, sapphires, rubies... I see things and then I try to make something beautiful out of it,” she explained.

Frank is called to older style jewelry, drawing inspiration from finds at antique stores or flea markets, and finding ways to make them her own.

“What’s beautiful for me is simple designs and then when you get closer, you see the details,” Frank explained.

Her work is intricate and intentional, and something she holds very close to her heart.

Her designs are not new to Vermont. For a while, Frank co-owned Alchemy Jewelry Arts in Burlington. A few years back, she decided to move her workspace to her Werkstatt in Burlington’s Old North End.

It’s here that she creates her own designs and helps others find their artistic abilities, too.

“A lot of my students and customers became very, very good friends. Since I open up about my personal life and my struggles, they do the same thing,” Frank says. “And that creates a very, very personal, intimate, and safe environment. And I love it.”

Werkstatt is home to a number of after-school programs, all run by Frank. She also helps couples design and create their wedding rings. She says she loves teaching because it’s so personal; the very same reason that she loves to design jewelry.

That personal feel is what keeps her coming back to her Werkstatt every day. Though, she finds it hard to explain all of the reasons that draw her to her craft.

“I don’t know. It has many aspects, that’s why I’m saying it’s very hard for me to explain why I am a jeweler, and what I do. It’s personal and professional at the same time,” she said.

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