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Contact Olga
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Since childhood, I’ve
been one of those people who are always making something. All
children play with toys – I was making miniature matchstick furniture
for mine. My grandmother’s ½ inch antique teddy bear had
the best-furnished house in town. It is hardly a surprise that my
passion for intricate and minute things led me to jewelry, and growing
up in Russia exposed me to an old and rich tradition of jewelry making.
Imperial Faberge Eggs with their beautiful colors, complicated
mechanisms and superior craftsmanship fascinated me – I was always
dreaming of making one..
Making one-of-a-kind jewelry is a very personal
experience that feels like a journey to me. Designing each piece
is the start of a new and exciting adventure. The possibilities
are endless and I feel like I can do anything. The flow of ideas and
new designs often keeps me up at night. I love designing with the
bright colors of enamels and combining them with glass and stones.
Once the idea is born, it is time to work out the
details. This is where you pull out your map and compass and try to
figure out how to get where you want to be. What kind of bail would I
use? What is the best chain for the necklace? And of course the hidden
treasure: what to put on the back? I love to decorate the backs of my
pieces, so that only the people who wear them know their secrets.
Then comes my time at the bench. This is my hiking
trip: I can walk happily and enjoy the process, but once in a while I
get to a mountain that I need to climb or figure out how to get around.
I like these moments – they give me opportunities to grow and develop
new skills, solve new technical puzzles.
Finally, putting all the parts of the piece
together, setting the stones and enamels, is the end of the trip.
I am proud and a bit sad – the journey will be over soon. But when
somebody is looking at my finished pieces, I re-live my adventures all
over again. It feels like showing pictures from your trips to your old
friends. It is a chance to share your journey with them.
And then, I am ready for my next adventure. I hope that people
who wear my pieces will feel this “signature” of my creation, and I am
happy they can share this experience with me.
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