Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Coronado.
Hi Alex, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been making art my entire life in various ways with different mediums. I have always loved making things with my own two hands. I first began dabbling in jewelry making in 2018 when I lived in Philadelphia. When I first started out I would make jewelry with crystals and wire and then started making polymer clay jewelry. I would shape the clay into chain links and make earrings and big, chunky necklaces. Around the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, I moved back to Texas to be closer to family. After being stuck at home I became bored with my clay creations and decided I wanted to try something a bit more challenging and also more durable. That is how I started first experimenting with chainmail. I began teaching myself, looking at written tutorials and video tutorials online and I immediately fell in love with it.
In 2021 I moved to Austin and befriended some artists in the vendor community who encouraged me to try doing markets. It was so amazing to meet people who made a living off of doing what they loved and it really inspired me and made me want that for myself. I took the leap and began doing markets working around the schedule of my then full time job. After a couple of months of feeling unhappy there, I decided to quit and fully commit my time to working on chainmail. I made my own website and I started doing markets full time. It was a big gamble for me to quit my stable job and try to solely make a living off of my art but it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Things weren’t always easy when I was first starting out. Not every market was a success. There were times I didn’t make a lot of sales and even a couple markets where I made nothing. There were days I felt very discouraged and questioned if I’d made a huge mistake, but I never gave up! I did every market I could find and took time to build connections with other artists and with market organizers. Every single market I did my first year I learned so much.
As a neurodivergent person and as a trans person I move differently in the world than other people. I struggle with my mental health and I deal with imposter syndrome at times. I have always struggled with feelings of not fitting in and always feeling ‘other’ or less than. I don’t have outside help from my family and I had to be my own support system growing up. One of the biggest obstacles I’ve had to overcome is myself. I can be hard on myself and I am very much a perfectionist. I struggle with OCD and can be my own worst enemy. Second guessing myself, wondering if I’m “good enough”, if my stuff is good enough, etc. I find it can sometimes be really hard not to compare myself to other people and wonder if i’m doing things “the right way”. Even though these are challenges that still come up for me I have come such a long way.
I have won three ‘Best Of Austin’ awards from The Austin Chronicle, two of them winning the ‘Best Jewelry’ category. If you would have told me five years ago I would win the award for ‘Best Jewelry’ once, let alone two years in a row i would NOT have believed you. Previous winners in the Jewelry category have been brands with a major following such as Kendra Scott and Nina Berenato. I am the only latinx person and the only trans person to win in this category so far which feels huge. I am also the only ‘alternative’ style jewelry maker to win in this category. Winning these awards has meant so much to me and made me feel so validated knowing that my work has resonated with so many people. On the days that I struggle, something that keeps me going is knowing that my younger self would be proud of me and that’s really all I could ask for. The road to where I am now definitely has not always been easy but I love the life I’ve built for myself and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create bold, genderless chainmail jewelry and accessories. Each and every little ring you see in all of my pieces are done completely by hand. All of my designs are created by me and I spend a lot of time ensuring that every ring closure is perfect and that the quality stays consistent throughout every step of every piece I make. I work with manufacturers of the highest quality to get my jump rings, closures, and charms. I specialize in work with stainless steel so that my pieces are durable, waterproof, and tarnish resistant. I am so proud of how far I’ve come over the course of these past five years of doing Desired Objects – I love hearing from people that they recognize my work out in the world.
What are your plans for the future?
My plan for Desired Objects is to keep making, designing new things, and growing. I would love to travel more for markets. I sell my wares at West Coast Craft in San Fransisco twice a year and always have such a blast. It is a highly competitive market that showcases so many amazing brands and designers. I would love to travel to other major cities around the U.S. (maybe even outside one day!) and do more big craft fairs! Another big dream of mine is to one day have my own brick and mortar. I would love to run my own curated shop and multi use space.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://desiredobjects.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shopdesiredobjects
