Jarod Cox grew up exploring the edges of Fishing Creek in Pulaski County. He became interested in jewelry at a young age, often sculpting beads from the Kentucky clay that he found in the creek and collecting geodes.
Fast forward to today and he is the owner and artist behind Fishing Creek Jewelry, based in Somerset, Kentucky.
A metalsmith and lapidary artist, he specialized in local stones, such as Kentucky agate and quartz, and gems.
While at Berea College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in studio arts, he learned the basics of metalsmithing under mentor Tim Glotzbach. After graduating, Jarod continued to hone his unique style for several months while participating in the City of Berea’s Accelerated Artists Program prior to becoming a full time artist.
He often takes stones such as Kentucky agate that he finds locally, cutting and polishing them to set in handcrafted bezels of sterling silver, copper or gold. He makes everything from rings to necklaces.
“Having grown up in Kentucky, I often find inspiration for my pieces in the creeks and forests. Some of my work features blue herons, one of my favorite local birds that I often see on my treks throughout the creeks,” Jarod said.
He spends hours planning and individually crafting each piece. He said all of his pieces are inspired by and made for the people and resilient spirit of Appalachia.
In January 2020, Jarod introduced the Quilt Square Collection, which is a series of necklaces reflecting common quilt patterns of the region.
“This collection pays homage to all the hours that our mothers and grandmothers spent endlessly sewing; days, weeks, and months of their lives threaded into the scrap cloth quilts that kept us warm through the winters,” Jarod said of the collection.
“To the quilts we used to celebrate births, or give as a gift of comfort to a grieving loved one. These works of art have memories that span generations stitched right into each block.”
Jarod loves to work customers to build custom pieces that incorporate elements of their life and home into unique jewelry that can become family heirlooms or gifts for loved ones.
His work has been featured in the Kentucky Artisan Center, the Log House Craft Gallery, and the 123 Gallery. Throughout the year, you can find him at a variety of festivals and events. In the past he has participated in Kentucky Crafted, Berea Makers Markets, Lexington Makers Markets, Spoonbread Festival, the Berea Craft Festival, and more. Jarod also maintains a shop on Etsy here.
The Mountain Association is proud to have provided affordable financing for Jarod to realize his vision for Fishing Creek Jewelry.
