Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
My name is Olga Ismailov. I was born in Uzbekistan and immigrated to America when I was a small child. I am a Bukharian Jew. I currently reside with my family in New York. I am a speech and language pathologist by profession. I have two beautiful daughters, Emma and Aviella, who inspired the name of my company EmmAvi Designs.
I have recently discovered my creative side and spend my free time designing and making Jewish home wall art. It all started when we moved into a new home. I was looking for a Jewish home blessing that fit in with my decorating style. After browsing the internet and not finding anything to my liking, I decided to create one with a smart cutting machine I had recently purchased. It took many drafts and trips to craft stores to perfect my first frame. I received many compliments from family and friends on my designs and decided to fill the gap in the market and offer unique and modern Jewish home blessings. I love using metal colors in my work such as gold and silver. Almost all my Hamsa frames feature a Swarovski crystal as the evil eye.
What inspired you to become an artist?
My desire to create and design. I love Hamsa art and Judaica so I decided to pursue that passion.
What is your specialty?
Currently my specialty is making paper cut Jewish wall blessings using a smart cutting machine as well as framed art prints. I also make personalized Judaica gifts for babies and children.
Where do you take your inspiration from? Are you pursuing any themes?
I take my inspiration from browsing local craft stores. I love to experiment with a variety of cardstock and frames. I try to make pieces that are fitting for a contemporary/modern/glam Jewish home. For the children’s collection wall art, I use vibrant colors and offer personalization of the frame with their Hebrew and English names.
Which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?
My favorite project so far was making the Silver Hamsa in the Crushed Diamond Frame. I just love how it sparkles from across the room. It’s the biggest frame in my collection and I use a large Swarovski Crystal for the evil eye.
What do you want to achieve with your work and what are your wishes for the future?
I would like to grow my online store and also offer a variety of customized Judaica.
Where can we find your work?
I currently sell my items on Etsy and you can also find view my work on Instagram.
Instagram account is: @EmmAviDesigns
Images: Courtesy EmmAvi Designs
