Meet the sisters: zurina ketola

Zurina Ketola is a Berlin-based designer, who went from depending on her husband for everything regarding woodworking to being able to design and make her own unique, custom displays for her beautiful jewelry.

Tell me a little bit about yourself. Who are you and where are you from?

I'm a self-taught American jewelry designer and create demi-fine jewelry featuring responsibly made little luxuries to suit everyday life. I grew up in a smaller city near the Rocky Mountains and early on spent a lot of time in the American Southwest. I remember being fairly young, maybe around 5 years old, when I realized I preferred the pace of city life. I followed that little voice inside of me and have had the pleasure of living all over the US, from Los Angeles to Phoenix to Chicago.

How did you end up in Berlin?

My move to Berlin was the result of a life-long dream. My husband has Finnish and German parents and is an EU citizen, so living in Europe has always been on our radar. We came to Berlin for a visit during Christmas back in 2010 and both agreed - when we finally take the plunge, it would be here. It took about five years for us to start planning the move. You may have heard that a lot of people talked about leaving the country if a certain reality star became president? That was definitely me. I was worried about it long before my husband, and at the time he assured me if it happened, moving to Berlin would be our "Plan B".

And all of a sudden you needed the plan B.

As fate would have it, the unthinkable actually happened. The night he was elected, my husband applied for a few jobs here and got them pretty quickly. And since my job could be done anywhere, we decided to make our "Plan B" a reality. It took about a year and a half to get everything in place, and we are so happy we did.

Are you happy with this decision?

Berlin is a fascinating place for me. Back in the States, it's rare to see anything even a hundred years old. Especially if you're from the western part of the country. I've always longed for that sense of place, and it's impossible not to have it here. The people, culture, and history are a huge part of that. I love that you don't need a car and that culture is so much more accessible than it is in the States. Also, healthcare that won't bankrupt you is nice. We've been here since the summer of 2018, and have no plans on going back.

What is your first memory regarding tools and woodworking? When did you start exploring building stuff yourself?

My first experiences with woodworking were in middle school. We had a woodshop, so I got to use some machines to make simple things. Wooden nameplates, bookends. I honestly thought they were silly at the time, but it was ended up being a very useful experience, both for jewelry making, and my later woodworking projects.

I didn't start looking more seriously at doing projects until I was in my mid-30's. I had a small shop in Chicago that was part of a larger artist collective and sold at shows. My newfound shops and shows needed unique merchandising and display options, which is where my woodworking journey started. I would do the smaller projects on my own and tapped my husband to help with larger projects.

Where do you get your knowledge about building? What tools do you have, which tools you rather borrow?

The internet is an amazing tool for learning anything. A lot comes from YouTube, and every so often I get a little inspiration from Instagram. My husband has had a fairly extensive selection of tools, we can build almost anything I need. He's also been a great teacher.

On a practical level, the most helpful thing for me is being able to visualize and plan my projects. Having my designs and measurements all laid out in advance has been an important part of this. Now, when I purchase wood for a project, get the pieces cut to the sizes I need and go from there. It makes things go a lot faster, which is great because I don't always have a lot of time!

To get what I wanted in my most recent projects, it was helpful to go to a woodworking shop and utilize their drill press to get cleaner cuts, and the belt sander to make a more professional finish. I was making necklace and bracelet stands, and the dowels I was working with were round, which can be a bit tricky to secure when drilling. Especially with hand tools. I went to the wood workshop at Regenbogenfabrik, and their staff helped me get it done.

What projects have you made so far? What have you learned from these experiences?

I've designed various cabinets, cases, and stands for displays. My favorite project is from my last round was a display case and bracelet and necklace stands that I'm still using. The biggest lesson I've learned over the years is the joy of planning. A big part of that is knowing measurements, and if there are any idiosyncracies buying the wood you need. For example, back in the States, buying a 2-inch x 4-inch piece of wood doesn't mean you're actually buying a piece of wood with those measurements. It's actually 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. If you're new, you'd probably never know this! I don't know if it's the same here, but it came up during my first big project and I'm glad I knew before I started cutting.

I delegate whatever I can, for a couple of reasons. One, I like the option of watching someone do it first. It just helps me when I do it myself. Second, I don't have a lot of time! I draft all my designs ahead of time, and get my wood cut to the right size when I purchase my wood. It's a small step, but it makes my projects go a lot faster.

Is there a project that makes you especially proud?

Right now with Corona, I've had less need for in-person displays and have gone primarily online. However, I have been doing Zoom calls to assist clients and I've turned the wall behind me into a mini showroom. It's been such a hit! It's in need of a little refresh, and I'm planning on making some geometric displays. It's still in the planning stages and I have to take it a little slow at the moment. I'm excited to see where it goes.
I was so happy when I designed and made a display case featuring a wooden frame and thick hobby glass panels. This was the first project that I've done that I did almost entirely on my own. My husband has been a great teacher for the fundamental techniques for woodworking which has been a great foundation and compliments my eye for finished details. I did the design, sourced and cut the wood, and put it all together. There was a minor oversight on my end with lid measurements, which my husband helped troubleshoot in the end. I love how it turned out! Initially, I made it for a shop so I could have a locking case, but I moved out soon after Corona hit in 2020. I'm not looking for another retail space at the moment, so currently it's showcasing my beloved mineral collection.

What would you tell for women who hesitate to learn woodworking? What benefits will it bring to a woman?

If it scares you, find a way to make it not scare you. Start small, maybe with hand tools, and work your way up. It can be both relaxing and a very empowering thing, to know your way around a drill or circular saw, or even simply knowing how to work with your hands. Always remember that it's a learning process. The more you do it, the more comfortable you'll get.

What have you gained from woodworking?

My interest in woodworking is primarily for my business, and although I'm not someone who naturally gravitates towards power tools, I'm very happy with my progress over the years. In some ways, I've really surprised myself. I went from depending on my husband for everything to being able to design and make my own unique, custom displays.