Jennifer Ponson is a jewelry designer who draws inspiration from her life here in Pensacola. Locally born and raised; she has always tapped into her creative side by looking at things a little differently. Early in her career as an Orthodontic Assistant she learned the art of wire bending. This trained her hands for the attention to details needed in her designs. Working with acrylics trained her eyes for the nuances of color and her daily work challenged her to understand the perfect size or proportion. Jennifer has always been active in the community and it was this energy she harnessed to ramp up production once her only child, Whitney, left for college. Whitney’s love for geology and rock collecting inspired her mother to learn more about semi precious stones. These stones are a common thread throughout her creations. Jennifer has worked with Pensacola State College for over 30 years and this local connection has been key to solving challenges when she needed help. For example, she reached out to the welding department to perfect her bonding process and the chemistry department to develop her own signature patina. When asked about her inspiration Ponson remarked, “I like to make people happy and when someone wears my design, it opens up a conversation either with someone else or inside themselves. A chance to be creative.”