Local business owner using jewelry to highlight mental health awareness

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's Mental Health Awareness Month, and one local business owner is using her jewelry to bring light to an issue that could be tough to talk about.

Christinea Beane is the founder of Makes Cents Jewelry, and she’ll be showcasing her jewelry at the first-ever Franklin Makers Market at Westhaven on Saturday afternoon.

She says it's a brand used to create a conversation and help people affected by mental illness. Every series she releases is inspired by a different person who faced some sort of adversity in their life.

And each piece made is different but has one thing in common -- a penny, something Beane says symbolizes all areas of life.

“I think a penny is a metaphor for everything in life. We see the common statements all the time. Luck: Find a penny, pick it up. Communication: Penny for your thoughts. But if you get a little closer, dig a little deeper, you see rejection and abandonment. The penny is thrown in the trash, argued that it shouldn't be made at all,” said Beane. “Ultimately, regardless of how you feel, it has a value, and there's a ripple effect associated with its absence.”

Beane also gives back to mental health organizations from every purchase.

The Franklin Makers Market will be tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. at the Westhaven Lakefront.