Hapa Artist Spotlight: Anita's Designs

{Hapa Artist Spotlight: Anita's Designs}

1. When did your love for jewelry start?

“My passion for jewelry started at a very early age. My Grandmother worked at an office as a typist and I loved seeing what she would be wearing when she came to visit. Both my Mother and Grandma would let me look in their jewelry boxes, which was always such fun to me. At about 10 yrs of age, jewelry beads and stringing materials became readily available. That started me on making my own strung necklaces and macramé necklaces incorporating beads."

2. What made you want to start making jewelry? 

“I became inspired and motivated to make jewelry on a larger scale. While walking my dogs on west coast beaches I started picking up beach glass. This encouraged friends and neighbors staying near us to do the same. These sea glass treasures led me to incorporating them into jewelry. The added bonus was while traveling . I would stop at different bead stores around the country and find additional unique items."

3. How would you describe your jewelry style?

“Organic, incorporating found objects, and my designs tend to have components in them that are recycled, and/or from vintage pieces. I have friends and family that share my enthusiasm for jewelry and give me their inherited vintage or dated jewelry that they would never wear, or their broken pieces. Knowing I may be able to use.”

4. What are your jewelry pieces made out of?

“Sea Glass, Some are sterling silver, Gold Filled wire. Stainless steel wire. Copper. Copper over wire,leather, Suede, buttons, vintage pieces, vintage watch faces, beads, hardware pieces. Beads: brass, silver, glass, pearls, vintage, recycled, handmade, paper. Vintage or old watch faces.”

5. What or whom inspires the pieces you make?

“Nature and the colors around me. The colors in a piece of fabric, vintage cards, or old movies where I see a piece and love a part of it. I can be dropping items at the recycling center and something catches my eye, along with hardware store, and thrift stores. A stash of buttons. I am addicted to buttons. On and on.”

6.      What do you want people to know about your jewelry line that is important?

“My pieces are unique one of a kind. All are handcrafted by me. One of my signature pieces is the Sea glass that I have collected all over the west coast and in Baja (Mexico). Some of my necklaces clasps are hand forged and crafted by me, and many have options on the length they can be worn.”

Thank you Anita for taking the time to do this interview. Come into Hapa Collective and see Anita's beautiful jewelry!