Beautiful hand-crafted jewelry is designed and created by skilled jewelry makers and artisans from all across the globe. While some designers come up with completely original designs, some heavily influence their local traditions and cultural styles.
Expert in jewelry Merlly Calisto collaborates with a variety of viking jewelry in her home country, Peru. She is the regional director for Novica.com which is a global arts site that supports thousands of artisans around the world and features the biography of each artist and handmade collection on the web.
In the next interview, Calisto discusses handcrafted jewelry as a form of art, and the more traditional designs and materials used in handcrafted jewelry made in Peru. Calisto clarifies what she is looking at when looking for new jewelry designs and collections and who she recommends and how she came to be a jewelry expert.
CG What is the reason why Novica focuses on hand-crafted jewelry, and not machine-made jewelry? What benefits does handcrafted jewelry offer over mass-produced designs?
Hand-made jewelry is more difficult. It is easy to feel the soul of the artist in the piece. For the skilled craftsman, hand-crafted jewelry allows you to discover your creative side to express more of yourself, and to create something real without the need for the artist to put up a lot of money to get their idea realized. Utilizing a simple set of tools, materials, and skilled hands, artisans can communicate their thoughts and feelings through this art form and showcase their distinctive designs as well as their heritage. Machine-made jewelry, on other hand, demands an enormous investment in machinery as well as employees and other associated costs, but it strips the essence of creativity from this form of art.
CG What are the common styles of hand-crafted jewelry that you can find in Peru currently?
MC: The common styles of those who are collectors of Peruvian jewelry are Pre-Inca Traditional, Colonial, and even Modern. We are renowned for our silver and gold mines that our ancestors employed with great commitment. Most popular uses were to make exquisite, meticulously handcrafted jewelry. Our ancestors portrayed their beliefs through their jewelry, as well as the symbols they used to represent these beliefs.
It is commonplace to find Peruvian jewelry that depicts felines, royal birds and the Sun God, and more. Peru is the Land of the Sun. It is the land of the sun. Colonial jewelry, regardless of being the product of the Conquest of the Americas, showcases what our ancestors started to design after they had learned completely new ways of living. Thus, our Colonial jewelry combines our ancestors' special talents with the new and generally features more focus on flora than the focus on the fauna they had previously cultivated.
The art of designing jewelry is expanding in Peru which is now becoming an attractive option for jewelry makers who want to create modern pieces which are inspired by our ancestral roots and featuring more abstract forms and concepts. It means that the Peruvian artist can create art in a manner that is influenced by our heritage but fused again with new ideas.
CG: Can you explain additional details that one could expect to see in the designs of Pre-Inca Inca and other Peruvian jewelry designs that are hand-crafted?
The MC: Pre-Inca, as well as Inca jewelry, have a lot in common since it is believed that the Inca Empire resulted from the conquer of several Pre-Inca cultures. Inca jewelry represents the beliefs of the Inca and their cosmology. It is filled with pictures of cats as well as people or birds embellished with sunbeams or snakes which symbolize royalty, power, and devotion. A few of our pre-Inca cultures utilized a simple, elegant design to convey their beliefs. Many of which are depicted in art today and not just in jewelry. Colonial jewelry of the style is thought to be a classy style.
The Colonial jewelry design or Modern jewelry design that was inspired by the colonial era gives you the impression of something made for Queen Elizabeth II. Even though we don't employ diamonds for instance it is impossible to confuse the style of bijouteries. You will experience it like a jewel. Jewelry from the Colonial period and in the Inca style are often stunning, hand-crafted artworks that are ideal for collectors.
CG: What gems and metals are extracted from Peru and most often found in hand-crafted Peruvian jewelry? What is the quality of these same Peruvian products?
MC: Nice question, I love it. What is the reason? It is because the Silver Institute has named Peru as the world's first silver producer (yes! followed by Mexico. In terms of gold, we're the first to be found in Latin America and the fifth-largest in the world. Concerning quality, we are thought to be among the top. Concerning gemstones, we own an exclusive stone called the Andean Opal. There are many Opal around the globe however Andean Opal is solely Peruvian. We have this stone in Crisocola that was utilized for centuries by Pre-Incas for their jewelry. The other semiprecious stones of repute are Sodalite, Onyx, Obsidian, Jasper, Serpentine, Angelite.
CGI: When looking to represent new jewelry handcrafted by artists, what are you going to seek out in terms of design as well as the quality of their materials? How do you decide on these elements?
The thing I'm looking at first is the significance of each design. immediately I visualize that someone would wear it. Who would be the client? How would he or she appear in this dress? Are you designing for an industry where the consumer seeks something different to express heritage, culture, and the soul? I typically look for a part of our history regardless of whether the design is traditional or modern. If it reflects Peru in some way it will be of great interest. I'm happy for the fact that the material is Peruvian particularly our gold, silver, and local stones. And it needs to be carefully designed and finished with care.
CG: Could you identify a few of your top jewelry designers who make jewelry by hand? Tell us the reasons why you like them.
M.C. IIlaria Ilaria is among my top choices. She is a fan of the colonial look we discussed and she is designing for the client, not herself. The collection is available on Novica to understand what I'm talking about.
Patricia Jara is another of my favorite designers since the majority of her designs are in modern fashion that is nevertheless influenced by pre-Inca culture. Claudia Laury merges tradition with her approach to straightforwardly expressing traditional and uses only local materials, such as top-quality silver. Juan Contreras creates lovely designs particularly his designs inspired by the Inca style including the "Veil of the Incas" collection. Claudia Lira's craftsmanship is top-quality and her jewelry demonstrates that Peruvian artists continue to innovate.
Anna Lia and Adrian feature an amalgamation of ethnic beauty as well as Art Deco, although they are not the only ones to use locally sourced stones. I am extremely satisfied to represent them as well as numerous other exceptional designers and artisans. They are all showcased separately in the Novica Handcrafted Jewelry division.
CGI: What prompted your first experience in the field of hand-crafted jewelry? Did you initially begin as a jewelry maker yourself?
MC: I believe I'm more theoretical than practical. On a personal level, I love jewelry. Professionally my experiences in the field of jewelry began when I was working to promote Peruvian jewelry in the United States. To do that I visited a variety of small and well-known jewelry workshops to get acquainted with all aspects of making jewelry. I was also involved in trade deals. I attended professional meetings with the National Industries Society and Mining Society.
I observed an absence of expertise in finishing particularly in the smaller workshops. I decided to arrange sessions for technical courses and then began to design educational workshops for novice and small jewelers. I have learned a lot throughout time, yet did not put it into practice as a jeweler myself. I have had a blast attending international jewelry shows, like for instance, Iberjoya in Madrid and I've been to international jewelry symposiums that were organized by numerous International cooperation programs.
I've participated in an important local competition for silver known as Plata del Peru, sponsored by Patronato de la Plata being an appointed judge. My time working with Novica has enriched my knowledge and expanded my knowledge in many ways. In the meantime, the market has experienced a huge expansion, and I am more connected to what is happening at Novica. New concepts and materials for jewelry are constantly appearing around the globe, and I am constantly learning about the latest trends in jewelry.
I love going to my local Mining Institute, where one can get a good understanding of local gems. Also, I've enjoyed taking several classes in making jewelry to be more involved with our artisans. Each time I go to jewelry stores to find out what's latest, and also to stay kept informed of costs. I need to be up-to-date with pricing to more effectively assist artists and be aware of their requirements for costs. It's a complicated and intriguing career.
