Wearable Art Jewelry Supporting Families in Guatemala
At the Colors of the Stone show, the author met exhibitor Pat Pannell, founder of Chick Boss, a handmade wearable art jewelry business launched in 2010 in San Andrés, Guatemala (figure 1). From the beginning, Pannell intended to help local families thrive financially, educationally, and emotionally through her business. Over the past 15 years, Chick Boss has become an inspiring example of how a small jewelry company can make a large impact.
For Pannell, the journey began long before the establishment of Chick Boss. She fell in love with Guatemala in 2001 during her stay with a host family while participating in a Spanish immersion program. Pannell noticed that some of the family’s 10 children did not attend school because they could not afford uniforms and tuition. Through her own efforts, Pannell funded all schooling for the children, encouraging them to reach the education levels they aspired to. All 10 finished high school, and a few of them went on to earn their college degrees.
The experience with her host family left Pannell wanting to make a positive impact on others in Guatemala. With no experience in the gem and jewelry trade, Pannell turned to her sister Jeanne Sheridan to establish Chick Boss in 2010. At the time, Sheridan designed and produced one-of-a-kind jewelry using copper, brass, and gemstones in the United States. To support Pannell’s vision for a business in Guatemala, Sheridan had to shift her focus to the practicality and reproducibility of the pieces. She began training locals on beading work, primarily stringing, and the traditional cold-connection technique to make jewelry completely by hand (figure 2). Since cold-connection techniques do not require the use of heat, trainees were able to learn and execute the method more easily. Sheridan also worked with a translator to produce detailed illustrated training materials.
The first group of four women trainees learned beading work and metalsmithing. After four 4-hour training sessions, they were ready to carry out the work from home, benefiting from flexible schedules. Within six months, eight beaders were fully developed. A few teenagers were trained in metalsmithing, some of whom have become experienced craftspeople and are now training new hires on their own.
In 2012, at a Central American artisan craft trade show, Pannell and Sheridan met Marilyn Polanco, a talented jewelry designer from Guatemala with a degree in industrial design. Polanco soon became the primary designer for Chick Boss, bringing a contemporary and bold look to the designs with components and patterns that could be easily reproduced utilizing the employees’ existing skills and materials.
The various collections produced at Chick Boss’s San Andrés workshop showcase the versatility of designs from these Guatemalan artisans. Among them, the Sound Collection featuring repurposed vinyl records won the 2021 Buyer’s Choice Award for Best Jewelry from the Museum Store Association (figure 3). A collaboration with Casa Del Jade in Antigua added Guatemalan jadeite jade stones to jewelry pieces, honoring the most important gem resource in the country (figure 4).
Since its establishment, Chick Boss has consistently donated 1–5% of its gross sales to multiple charity organizations and supported approximately 25 families in the local community. The artisans are compensated well beyond what is required by Fair Trade standards, allowing them to support their families, keep their children in school, and continue to pursue their own dreams. In the near future, Chick Boss plans to hire a local jeweler who can provide additional training for the team. Equipment for silver and gold plating will be purchased to allow for further expansion. Pannell and her partners hope that their story can inspire more business owners to engage in sustainable practices through community support.
