 |
| Amethyst Geode Slice Necklace with Gold-Filled Wire |
Equipped with a zoo, ten museums, and lovely gardens it is a location that caresses the senses with its educational yet gentle attractions.
California is also home to featured jewelry designer Anne Maa.
Eight years ago, in June 2006, Maa posted an entry to her blog acknowledging her surprise at seeing some of her designs knocked off by an established jeweler.
But instead of bristling with anger, she felt flattered that “someone I thought was a respected designer was inspired enough by what I was doing to knock me off. I thought that the experience was a definite form of making it!”
Nonetheless the imaginative jewelry artist was not content
to just sit back. Maa drew from her strong capacity to abruptly change design styles.
“My thought is you can copy but you can’t keep up. Because I get bored quickly I move on with
the next design. I always respect a
designer who has their own ideas. With
the jewelry market so saturated it really takes an inspired designer to stand
out and make it in the long run.”
Shifting style gears from clear-cut, pretty charm accented
designs to a style that borders on primitive; Maa has cultivated jewelry pieces
that are gloriously imperfect.
Pendant necklaces, rings, and drop earrings are a vision of
chunky outlines with natural, un-faceted, semi-precious gemstones; ring prongs
are unabashedly large; and sterling silver ring shanks are juxtaposed with
stone settings wrapped with gold-filled wire.
 |
| Sterling Silver Coral Chili Peppers Earrings |
Naturally inventive, Maa formerly worked as a fashion
designer and her friendship with a jewelry artist piqued her interest in
jewelry making. After purchasing a book
on Japanese beading she bypassed making jewelry as a hobby straight to
developing a jewelry business.
“I did not make jewelry for myself or friends. I made jewelry to sell. The strange thing is
I have collected jewelry for a long time but never worn any of it. I just wanted to design and create not own
and wear for some reason,” says the spirited designer.
Since she began designing and making jewelry, Maa’s creative
process has evolved into an intuitive one.
“My inspirations come from the stones and materials I use; their color,
feel, texture and shape tells me exactly what to do with them.
 |
| Sterling Silver Seascape Ring with Green Apophyllite |
I am in love with raw minerals and ancient metals that are full of irregularities, imperfections and fingerprints to build designs filled with healing energy.”
No comments:
Post a Comment