Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
My name is Katia and creation is a way of living for me in any aspect. Nature is my greatest inspiration. It is all around me every day in my garden. I translate nature and everything I see during the day into jewelry, like textures, people, and my customers. My jewelry is a perfect match between modernity, elegance, and simplicity. I am always looking for the next inspiration. It is a passion of mine, which stayed with me since I was a child and I used to play with silver wires, clay, and stones. I‘m a goldsmith and artist for about 25 years now. During these years, I learned industrial design and worked in a few factories until I became an independence designer. I love to sculpt the material and give it a new life. I sell my creations to agents in several countries and to private customers around the world. It excites me every time I create moments of joy for him or her.
What inspired you to become a jewellery artist?
I get inspired by nature, flowers, and people. Every piece of jewellery I create, I insist on having something different and original. Anyone looking for something unique can search and find it at my store where I sell lots of special jewellery with a personal touch.
How and where do you work?
My workshop is located in the north of Israel in a small village with beautiful views all around.
This love for beautiful and creation stayed with me my entire life. When I work with different materials and textures and sculpt new life into them, I’m excited to see the magic every time. I design unique jewellery from my imagination and inspiration using precious and natural stones to create beauty, harmony, and good energy. I’ve started my company, Gaya Jewelry Art, in 2008. Gaya symbolizes the beginning, roots, new energy, nature, and innocence. As a name, roots and the primary source. This is the next generation of artists.
My husband and my three children help me pack my jewelry, add my name tag, Kattyoosh, and embed gems. I am the sole designer and manufacturer. All my jewelry pieces have my fingerprints on them.
Working Method: All of the handmade items are unique. I sculpt in wax. I’m also working with silver material with different textures. I pour the wax in a foundry near my home and get casts made out of silver or gold. It is a lot of work to finish them, as the work at the foundry is very imprecise.
I polish up the jewelry until it is bright and beautiful. I love working with different materials. I draw directly on to the metal, cut, and saw it. I stomp and burn the metal until it looks the way I envision it before I polish the jewelry and set the stones. When I work with wax I feel like a little girl playing with clay.
After I price the jewelry I take beautiful photos of the new products and give them a name, unless they are part of a collection.
The entire process is accompanied with great excitement. It feels to me like giving birth.
What is the most indispensable item in your workshop?
My work table with all my tools, wax, sterling silver sheet, and wires.
Where do you take your inspiration? Are you pursuing any themes?
I love to wake up early and watch everything around me come to life, while drinking coffee, and going outside to visit my flowers, pets, birds, and chicken, and sitting with my dog and my mind wandering to the next design. When I travel with family and friends, I am also inspired by people, textures, the sea, and harmonies. I feel blessed and give every day thanks for the wealth all around me. I kiss my husband and three children goodbye before I send them do their jobs and put on music, and then I start working in my studio, which is located in the back of my house.
What projects are you currently working on?
A new collection for summer for my internet shop. I’m also working on different pieces for two Jewish customers that visit Israel every winter and summer.
What are your favourite items in your current collection?
Blossom items, especially earrings and flower rings.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
Something inside me tells me that the piece is ready to be polished. Sometimes I have basic items that can sit on my table for months. Through the years, I have obtained the confidence to know that their time will come and I can move on to the next items and can come back later.
Do you do bespoke work?
Yes, I do custom orders from time to time, like engraving works, adding gemstones, or symbols. I work with the client with photos and sketches until they confirm the design. We work on it together. Step by step.
What was the first jewellery piece you ever sold?
A silver necklace with a large clear crystal to a customer from Romania. When she wears the necklace, the crystal makes her feel strong and powerful. I was very happy to know that a woman from far away bought my design and loved it.
Which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?
A silver pomegranate for a Canadian customer. I designed it six years ago, since then I create more and more versions of unique handmade pomegranates, which she sells to the Jewish Community in Montreal.
What do you want to achieve with your work and what are your wishes for the future?
First, I have to create new and unique creations. It’s therapy for me. Second, I love to make people happy with my creations. For me it is worth more when a woman loves my jewelry and gives me a positive review than all the money in the world. For example, one of my customers bought a wavy silver ring for her husband, who lost his wedding band. She told me that they got married at the beach and that my ring reminded her of the sea and the ways. I was so excited for them!
Where can we find your work?
To purchase my work, visit my ETSY shop.
Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/kattyoosh/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katyoosh/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kattyoosh/
