Capturing coastal memories
How a childhood on the Maine shoreline and a lifelong love of the Gulf inspired Jen Grove to create Drift Jewelry
By Cynthia Reeves / Photos by Kate Treick Photography
For Jen Grove, the coast isn’t just a place — it’s a feeling.
When Grove was a little girl, she explored the rocky shoreline of Maine with her father, a sailor. Those early mornings were filled with the scent of salt air and fresh coffee, the clanging of sailboat riggings and the simple joy of searching for shells, sea glass and stones along the shore.
“I’ve always collected shells, sea glass and stones wherever I go,” Grove said. “Something about that salt air, whether it’s the foggy coast of Maine or the turquoise waters here on the Gulf, immediately brings me a sense of calm.”
After living on the Gulf Coast for more than three decades, those memories, as well as her love for the Gulf, inspired her to create Drift Jewelry.
Surprisingly, Drift Jewelry began in one of the smallest spaces imaginable.
While balancing a successful career in community relations, first with Gulf Power and later as vice president of external relations for Baptist Health Care, Grove was also raising four sons in her East Hill home. There wasn’t much room in the busy household for a creative space of her own. Her creative studio became a tiny nook tucked inside her teenage son’s bedroom.
“I just wanted a place where I could create something beautiful after the laundry was done, dinner was over and everyone was settled,” she recalled.
That modest workspace soon became much more than a jewelry bench. Magazine pages, photographs from family beach vacations and handwritten notes covered an inspiration board while conversations with her son unfolded naturally as she worked. Piece by piece, Drift Jewelry began to take shape.
JEWELRY WITH A STORY
Her designs reflect the natural beauty found along the Gulf Coast. Grove carefully selects gemstones such as amazonite, aquamarine, labradorite and natural bone beads because they mirror shimmering water, soft white sand and the colors of the coastal skies.
“I’m trying to bring the beach into everyday life,” she said. “I want people to put on a necklace or bracelet and immediately remember their favorite day at the coast.”
She combines those gemstones with 14-karat gold-filled components that withstand the Gulf Coast climate and are also hypoallergenic.
She enjoys transforming inherited pearls, treasured gemstones and vintage family keepsakes into custom jewelry. She has designed unique pieces for weddings, anniversaries and other meaningful milestones.
“I love helping people create something that represents an important moment in their lives,” she said.
She noted that working with others is one of the most rewarding parts because every finished piece tells a uniquely personal story.
Grove welcomes custom commissions, working with clients to create one-of-a-kind pieces. If you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for online, she encourages you to reach out. She works with clients by phone or FaceTime from her home studio, designing jewelry to match their own coastal stories and memories.
In addition to jewelry, Grove creates encaustic wax paintings inspired by Gulf landscapes. Using layers of molten beeswax and pigments, she captures the depth, texture and light of the coast she loves.
Outside of the studio, Grove invests in the community. Throughout her professional career and into retirement, she has served organizations dedicated to education, children and workforce development. She also donates her jewelry to nonprofit auctions that raise funds for local causes. She believes that creativity is most meaningful when it can also make a difference.
Whether she is working with gemstones or molten wax, Grove ultimately hopes her work connects people to the coast.
“If someone catches a glimpse of their necklace during a stressful day,” she said, “I hope it becomes a little pause — a reminder of a peaceful place and a treasured memory.”
WANT TO SHOP?
What: Drift Jewelry by Jen Grove
Where: Jen’s Designer Deals Boutique, Gulf Breeze; 98 Treasures, Gulf Breeze
When: Seasonal art markets throughout the year, including WaterColor on 30A’s Annual Fall Market (Saturday after Thanksgiving); Gulf Breeze Recreation Center Holiday Market; Seaside holiday markets
Info: drftjen.com; Facebook: Drift JenG; Instagram: @driftjeng
