interview by Jess McCuan . photo by Matt Rose

Name: Viola Spells

Age: 65

Occupation: multimedia artist and jewelry maker at Zenobia Studios

Lives in: Asheville

Have you always been an artist? No, I used to be a librarian.

I would think anybody who wears glasses like that must be an artist. They’re my favorite. I didn’t wear these when I was a librarian.

How long were you a librarian? More than 30 years. I have a master’s in library science. I started as a children’s librarian in New York City.

And how long does it take you to make a necklace like the one you’re wearing? It takes a while. I use a crochet hook to knit the wire and then shape it however I like.

How does one phase of your life compare to the other? You had to be quiet in the library, and I was never quiet. This [phase] is more adventuresome. I can do whatever comes to me… And it turns out, art is hard.