
Name: Erin Gillespie
Age: 26
Hometown: Seward, Alaska
Previous College History: Two years of undergraduate study at Washington State University majoring in Kinesiology.
FIDM Major: Jewelry Design
FIDM Campus and Start Date: October in LA
Admissions Advisor: My advisor was Susan Pope who was absolutely amazing! From the moment we had our first meeting she went above and beyond assisting me in anything that I needed. She kept in constant contact with me and made the scary prospect of going back to school a lot less intimidating. I am so grateful for her and her willingness to help and encourage me in any way possible!
Tell us a little bit about yourself. I was born and raised in a small Alaskan town. Ever since I can remember I have had a passion for art, jewelry, and design. My fascination with rocks and gems came at an early age. My mom told me that she used to have to limit the amount of rocks I was allowed to bring home, otherwise, I would have brought the whole beach with me! I would spend hours walking the shoreline hunting for agate.
My mother did metal work when I was a child and observing her at her work bench was my first taste of form and the artistic process that goes into making jewelry. I used to go to my grandmother's house and play in her jewelry and sometimes sneak into my mother's room to peek inside her jewelry box, in awe of all the beautiful and sparkling items. It wasn't until about five years ago that I gave any thought to pursuing my passion.
I started work as a makeup artist in a department store and started taking gemology classes through the Gemological Institute of America and obtained my Accredited Jewelry Professional certification. I liked my job, but I also knew that jewelry was where my heart was. About six months after moving to Orange County I met a girl who was a student at FIDM studying fashion. We started talking and I told her about my passion for jewelry and she suggested that I check out FIDM's program.
What are your proudest accomplishments so far? I am blessed and privileged to be able to be a daughter, sister, and friend to my family and many outstanding people I have met in my life. I take pride in my design work and included my portfolio in my entrance project as a supplement. I spent a summer commercial fishing in Alaska with my uncle, cousin, and my mother on the Miss Melody, a purse seining boat, owned by my uncle. I worked harder than I ever had and had a life experience that I will never forget.
Also, conquering my fear of failure and making the decision to apply to FIDM and being accepted as a student has been an amazing and joyful accomplishment. My whole family is very proud of me for following my dream because they see the passion I have for jewelry and the determination I have to be successful.
What made FIDM right for you? I love the specialized areas of study and the classes that are offered. I like that the course study for Jewelry Design not only includes hands-on bench work, but also history and computer aided design (CAD). I have been really impressed with the way the program is laid out and how it really covers all bases of study so that students are prepared and informed about the latest trends and technology currently used in the industry. I love the small class sizes too.
The instructors are active members in the industry and have a lot of experience. This was really attractive to me because I wanted a teacher who not only studied the area that they teach, but that has lived it as well, so they can relate to me as a student who wants to pursue jewelry after graduation. FIDM was right for me because they have an amazing reputation across the board.
Describe your entrance project. My entrance project drew direct inspiration from the summer that I spent commercial fishing. I was really nervous starting out on this project but as I progressed, it all just came naturally. The piece morphed in a beautiful statement necklace that held so much symbolism for me. My inspiration journal included pictures of my family, quotes, a card from my grandmother and elements from the ocean and of my Alaskan Native heritage.
What are your career goals? I hope to learn and take as much as I can with me into the practical workplace from my education at FIDM. I want to grow as an artist, designer, and as a female involved in the fast-paced jewelry industry of today. If I can design pieces that are symbolic, meaningful, and treasured to the wearer, I have achieved success. I want to create a business for myself and a name that represent beauty, passion, drive, and industry awareness.
What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I know that this experience will be a whirlwind of complete immersion into the field. I expect to learn all the different facets that go into being successful in the industry whether it's sales, design, fabrication, or marketing. There is such a diverse student population at FIDM that I know I won't only be learning from the course work as much as I will be learning from other students. FIDM is the total package that is going to ready me for a great future.