Botanicals, blooms and bijoux |
Jen Tonic x Ask & Embla collab
This month, we’re excited to share with you our latest milestone yet: our very first design collaboration.
As we continually draw inspiration from our Circle, we are honoured to bring you a botanical-themed collaboration designed by one of our style-savvy members who has always been a joy to work with - Jen Tonic.
Jen Tonic (she/her) is a tattoo artist at her studio, Evergreen Garden Atelier, in Lüneburg, Germany. She discovered her love for designing at an early age, attending private art classes to hone her passion. Today, Jen takes inspiration for her designs and style from everyday life and nature, seeing beauty in everything that blooms on a field to anything that grows underneath a tree.
Get to know Jen Tonic a little more through her own words.
Q: What was the journey like to find your creative voice?
Very natural and easy to be honest. The urge to have my own unique style was always there so I naturally incorporated my personal taste and interests into my designs. I think we all have that creative voice inside of us and the task is to discover it and let it flow naturally. Everything that feels right and that you feel drawn to is your creative voice speaking through you.
Q: Have you ever felt like you were out of inspiration?
What do you do when this happens?
All the time haha. It’s hard to work fulltime as an artist because you have to be creative on demand, but that’s not how creativity works. When I lack inspiration I try to sketch something very simple to get into a flow. If nothing works, I set it aside and get back to it later or the next morning. Sometimes a good night’s sleep can be a reset.
Q: How does your creative style impact your dress style?
You can definitely find my go-to colour palette in my wardrobe. Earthy warm tones that compliment the skin are my jam - in tattoos and my clothes. Also generally speaking I am very inspired by renaissance art, old fashion and vintage styles.
Q: What was the inspiration behind the designs?
Remember when we were kids and we used to hang cherries onto our ears or put flowers behind the ears or into our hair? So the hangers and hoops are kinda as if you picked up some flowers and decided to carry them with you for a while to connect with nature. Flowers are one of the prettiest things you can find in nature and their fragility makes them even more desirable because they have such a short lifespan. But with flower jewelry, you don’t have to worry about them wilting.
Q: How did you approach the idea of designing these pieces?
I sat down and thought of something that I would love to wear but can’t find anywhere. I haven’t seen many nice flowery earrings especially for stretched ears so I designed them in a way that I would like to wear them.
Q: What is your favourite thing about the jewelry designs?
That I get to wear my own design haha. No but seriously I am very proud and happy to be able to wear my own hangers and to see other beautiful people wear them and combine them in new ways! What I like about the hangers is that the back is in a leaf shape. So when you have short hair or wear your hair up, the back looks also nice. The hoops are a classic and easy to style but the floral design gives them a nice, unique touch.
