Penngrove artist brings bling to Petaluma

A hydro-geologist by training, Petaluma native Jenny Cherney realized that after about 15 years of working as an independent consultant, she needed to make a change in order to enjoy her work more and have the flexibility she needed as a single mother living in Penngrove with her three children.

She came up with the idea to start her own jewelry and art business, which began in January 2015 when the now 45-year-old received a “real big gift” from two of her close friends, who own several jewelry shops in Ireland. They took her on a trip in Asia to show her how to buy jewelry from artists and how she should price it, and ultimately connected her with jewelry artists that they had longstanding relationships with, she said.

When Cherney couldn’t find a space for her business that fit her image, she “decided to think outside the box.” Last year on Memorial Day, a jewelry truck fell into her lap through family friends, allowing her to open her business, Spiral Jewelry & Artisery, where she offers elegant to eclectic handmade sterling silver jewelry with semiprecious stones made by artisans around the world as well as art made locally.

“Some of the jewelry I make, some of the jewelry other people make, and some of the jewelry I design but other artists make,” she said.

Cherney’s first day out with the truck was last June at the Railroad Square Music Festival in Santa Rosa, and the mobile shop made its first appearance in Petaluma at last year’s Rivertown Revival festival.

On April 10, she held the opening of her local jewelry business at her new shop on Kentucky Street in downtown Petaluma, in the building that formerly housed Good Licks Frozen Yogurt Shop.

The size of the shop is similar to the inside of the truck, and Cherney sells the same items in each, representing about 20 artists. A couple times a year, she travels to places including Poland, India, Thailand and New Mexico to buy the jewelry for her business.

“The jewelry artists that are represented are artists that I’ve known and loved for years,” she said. “That’s the core of my business, and I’m branching out as I find more. The jewelry is generally one-of-a-kind pieces, all made individually.”

She’s received positive feedback from customers and said it’s been a benefit to have a permanent location. However, she looks forward to running both the shop and truck.

“I really enjoy both, and the good thing is I’m still finding it a challenge to do all the different elements of my business,” she said. “There are so many different parts from the art-making, jewelry-making and creating fun displays while connecting the art and jewelry, but it’s fun.”

Cherney has created art, including mosaics and glass fusion, for a long time, and she sells pieces at her business, alongside pastels created by local artist Kate Blakeslee.

Blakeslee met Cherney through a mutual friend and started collaborating with her, showing and selling her work on her truck more than a year ago.

“It’s wonderful to work with her small space in mind,” Blakeslee said. “I like the way the jewelry and the art complement each other.”

Within the last year before she opened her store, Cherney tag-teamed with various businesses around Petaluma, including Wishbone and Sonoma Portworks, to allow her to set-up the Spiral truck outside their stores. She also hosts private parties and will continue both services.

A graduate of University of California, Irvine with bachelor degrees in psychology and sociology, Cherney realized she always liked jewelry and stones and wanted to further pursue those passions. While working at a rock and jewelry shop in Atlanta, she decided to head back to school and take a geology class at Georgia State University. Later on, she earned her Master’s in hydro-geology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

This summer, Cherney will be busy with the truck at events around Sonoma and Marin counties, including the Petaluma Music Festival, Railroad Square Music Festival in Santa Rosa, Velo & Vines Century Ride in Healdsburg and the 21st Annual Kate Wolf Music Festival in Laytonville.

“All of these events are ones that I’ve attended for a number of years as a participant and now I’m getting to go as a vendor,” she said. “Velo & Vines is a charity bike ride that I’ve not participated in before, but that’s part of the fun of bringing the truck and business there, because these are the things that I enjoy doing in general and I get to tie in business and vacation.”

Although she sometimes works as an independent consultant, her main focus is her jewelry and art business.

“My favorite part about my business is taking my science and my art and kind of moving them into a different space,” she said. “Also being able to create the life that I need so that I can do what I need with my kids and live life well … and hopefully it all works out.”

For more information, visit spiralartjewelry.com.

(Contact Nicole Santos at argus@arguscourier.com.)