Designer Jennifer Heynen embroidering in her Athens, GA studio

Celebrating 25 years as a self supporting artist this year, Jennifer is known for her happy art and products. She paints, sews, and makes ceramics in her Athens, Georgia studio.

Jennifer graduated in 1995 with her BFA in ceramics from Indiana University. After a short stint as a commercial florist, she started making ceramic tiles and mosaics. She traveled the country selling her creations at art fairs.

After about six years of traveling and selling tiles and tables she was ready for a change and found herself interested in making beads. Her ceramic beads and jewelry were an instant hit. She was selling at bead shows, writing magazine projects and her first book, Ceramic Bead Jewelry.

Jennifer had always planned to go to grad school to get her MFA in textiles when she turned 35. For no other reason than a gut feeling, she knew that it had to happen. She had been sewing since she was four, so textile design felt like the natural next step. When Jennifer turned 35, however, grad school wasn’t as intriguing as it used to be (she’s married to a professor and saw first hand what grad school is like). Instead, she decided to teach herself how to design textiles. After a lot of late nights of creating designs, Jennifer headed to quilt market with a portfolio of designs to show fabric manufacturers.

Side note: Her first textile designs were painted on ceramic tiles and then scanned into the computer.

Her first fabric collection, Happy, was a success and she sold her handmade buttons alongside the fabric. Jennifer Jangles sewing patterns soon followed. This also lit the spark for art licensing. She continues to design fabrics, but also designs greeting cards, flags, baby products, and more.

Jennifer enjoys coming up with creative solutions and thinking outside of the box. She considers herself an inventor just as much as a maker.

A typical day in here Athens, GA studio involves her three favorite mediums: painting, sewing, and making ceramics.

She now has help filling patterns and kits for orders as well as other everyday business tasks. Her dog Rhubarb comes to work everyday and oversees operations.

Designer Jennifer Heynen sewing in her Athens, GA studio

Clients (past and present) and publications include:

DEMDACO, StudioM, Leanin Tree, In The Beginning Fabrics, KayDee Designs, Manual Woodworkers, Michaels, Transpac, Lowes, Sizzix, Certified International, Home Comfort, Oopsy Daisy, American Quilt Retailer, Quilting Arts, Quilts and More, and Bead and Button.

 

Jennifer's books:

Jennifer Heynen Books

Stitch Kitsch, Ceramic Bead Jewelry, and Sew Small, 19 little bags to sew

Parent's Choice Award:

Jennifer is a 2018 Parents Choice award recipient for her Mommy and Me scarf design produced by DEMDACO

Designer Jennifer Heynen glazing pottery in her Athens, GA studio

 

Jennifer welcomes all press inquiries, whether it be a bio piece or written project tutorial.

Jennifer Heynen Press inquiry

   

 

Would you like to carry Jennifer Jangles products in your shop? Wholesale information can be found by clicking the box below.

Jennifer Jangles wholesale

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Site photography by Rinne Allen