A Story Rooted In Reinvention, Courage—And Clay
After her children grew up and the house grew quiet, Lindsey Gann found herself searching for purpose beyond motherhood and caregiving. In that stillness, she turned to polymer clay. What started as a simple creative outlet soon became her lifeline. Sculpting delicate flowers helped her process emotion, calm her thoughts, and reconnect with herself, piece by piece. Gradually, what began as therapy bloomed into something bigger: a jewelry brand rooted in resilience and healing. Later, when Lindsey faced the heartbreaking loss of her son, Eli, her art became a way to honor his memory and bring light to dark moments.
I sat down with Lindsey of Bold & Bloom to learn more.
Bold & Bloom began as something deeply personal. Take us back to that moment when you first realized that sculpting polymer clay flowers was becoming more than a hobby.
I started working with clay just to fill my time and quiet the silence. But the more I learned, the more I started to feel something again. It became a kind of therapy for me—helping to ground me, calm my thoughts, and give me a sense of focus I hadn’t felt in a long time. Over time, that spark grew. Seeing women’s reactions at shows—the way their faces lit up when they found the perfect pair of earrings, the way they connected with my designs that brought me back to life. It pulled me out of my shell and reminded me that I still had something to give.
The name Bold & Bloom feels both strong and soft at once. What does it mean to you?
I’ve always appeared to be strong and independent, even a little closed off. But inside, I was terrified of what people thought of me. I can be bold and loud with my friends but standing in front of strangers was never me. Before Bold & Bloom, I never would have imagined myself doing shows or putting myself out there online. I wouldn’t have had the strength to show my creations to complete strangers.
When I started sculpting flowers, I saw reflections of my own transformation—delicate, resilient, imperfect, but always growing. Each piece tells a story of strength in the face of adversity. Bold & Bloom now stands for embracing imperfection and blooming boldly in every season, at the heart of my own ongoing journey.
After losing your son Eli, you found meaning through your craft. How do you honor his memory through your work today?
Losing Eli rocked our whole family. You don’t expect to lose a child at 23—he has his whole life ahead of him. Like most moms, I felt like I had to be the strong one, holding everything together for everyone else. But inside, I fell apart. There were anger and confusion after losing a child in an accident. I still can’t understand why this happened, and I still struggle to make sense of it.
Eli believed in me long before I believed in myself, and in many ways, he’ll always be a part of what I create. After losing him, I designed the Resilience Collection in his honor—a line inspired by transformation, strength, and the ability to find beauty in the pain. The pieces blend deep purples, muted blues, and soft creams — colors that reflect both loss and healing for me.
How do you personally define beauty now, after walking through such deep challenges?
I used to think beauty was about perfection: flawless makeup, a clean home, a life that looked put together. But after everything I’ve been through, I see beauty in an entirely unique way now. To me, beauty lives in the things that survive — in the cracks, the scars, and the stories that shape us. It’s in the woman who keeps showing up, even when she’s falling apart inside. It’s in quiet strength, in grace born from pain, and in the courage to start again when everything feels broken.
Working with clay taught me that lesson. When a petal cracks or design doesn’t turn out the way I planned, I don’t throw it away. I reshape it, soften the edges, and let its imperfections become part of the piece. That’s what beauty feels like to me now—not flawless, but honest.
What message do you hope women take away when they wear Bold & Bloom beyond aesthetics and into the heart of your mission?
When women wear Bold & Bloom, I want them to feel something deeper than “these are beautiful earrings.” I want them to feel seen — to remember that they’re still capable of growth and transformation, even after everything they’ve been through. Bold & Bloom is a celebration of women who rise, rebuild, and keep blooming—a reminder that in every season, you are evolving and radiant through resilience and transformation.
Your jewelry often symbolizes growth after hardship. How do you continue to nurture your own growth as both an artist and a human being?
Growth is something I have to choose every single day. It doesn’t come easily or naturally, especially after loss. But I’ve learned that healing and growing aren’t one-time moments—they’re a constant process of showing up, even when it’s hard.
As an artist, I nurture growth by allowing myself to create without pressure—to explore, to fail, and to start again. Not every piece needs to be perfect to have meaning. Sometimes my favorite designs come from mistakes I rework. This lesson is mirrored in life: growth comes not from what goes right, but from how we respond when things fall apart.
If you could speak to the version of yourself who first picked up a piece of clay, what would you tell her now?
I’d tell her she doesn’t have to hold it all together or pretend she’s okay. She’s allowed to fall apart. She’s allowed to rest. Those quiet hours at the kitchen table—shaping tiny petals just to make it through the day — are doing more than she realizes. She’s not just creating something with her hands; she’s slowly piecing herself back together.
Info: www.boldandbloom.com
