THE WINE OF YOUTH: February 2013

I first fell in love with Caitlin Mociun's jewelry when I saw an amazing turquoise and diamond ring online & I instantly fell in love .

Her delicate and beautiful jewelry led me to purchasing a ring of my very own !

I was very lucky to have Caitlin answer some of my questions.

How do you like to describe what you do? I say I am a designer. I tend to not put a specific on what I design because I design in different areas.

You recently made a transition from a fashion label into creating Jewelry? What was your decision behind this? I think I am better at designing jewelry. The apparel was always just a catalyst for my prints. I have always loved creating small sculpture. I used to make Barbie food and furniture when I was tiny and just kept making little things at every stage of my life as I grew up. The clothing was a bit of a departure from this, as it was so functional instead of visual objects or adornment. When I started doing jewelry is made me so much happier and I really started to love what I was doing to make a living. So to sum that up I think me finding happiness and loving what I make was the biggest decision behind that transition.

What has been your most rewarding project so far? Oh my, that’s hard to say. They are all so different. It’s really exciting to sell someone a big diamond and get to make a ring with it. I just find that so satisfying (I love diamonds). I have so many wonderful clients that most of the rings I get to make are all really rewarding. I love being able to make a ring for a person and see (or hear) how excited the person who receives it is.

Do you have any hobbies or collect things? I am starting a new hobby! I have a really wonderful studio in Brooklyn that doesn't get too much use so I am buying a kiln and some friends of mine and I are going to start a weekly ceramics making gathering. I'm psyched for that! & I collect ceramics, so many ceramics I have.

You recently opened a store in New York! Tell us about it! Oh the store! I love having the store. It’s been wonderful in so many ways. It has enabled me to have a staff of great people to work with. I have had a business for eight years now and much of that time I was alone in my studio working.

My favorite part of the store is getting to use it as my constantly changing art installation. In college I focused largely on installation comprised of small sculptures I made (mainly out of ceramics and others from human hair - I was really into Kiki Smith's artwork, haha). I designed furniture that is beautiful but really acts as a backdrop for all the wonderful pieces in the store. I can move the furniture around in different configurations and really treat the space and all the objects in it like an art installation. I put things on the floor so adults have to crouch down to see some pieces. Sometimes I arrange other pieces in odd or patterned configurations on the tables so that they can be seen as a whole and as individual pieces. I want to sell the things in the store but I also want anyone that comes into the store to just enjoy themselves! If they are there to shop or to just see what the store looks like on any given day. I hope that people leave there feeling a little lighter, a little more playful- even though they are in a room full of expensive and fragile items I want them to have fun in there and take that feeling with them when they leave.

To look at more of Caitlin's work check out www.mociun.com or head to her store - 224 Wythe Ave , Brooklyn , NY 11249