by Cadry Nelson
Aren’t these handmade necklaces encapsulating natural ephemera beautiful?
In 2014 it’s easy to go to any store and buy a product that is mass produced and uniform in style. With no character to differentiate one from the next, it’s simple to find things that are perfect to the point of boring. That is why I am so enchanted with handmade artwork. When we buy handmade, we get a glimpse of someone else’s story. When an artist creates, she shares a part of herself that might otherwise be hidden. Also, when we buy handmade, we support individual artists and their families instead of paying a corporation and hoping that it trickles down to the individuals who work there.
Related: Make an Upcycled Magnifying Glass Necklace
Today I am interviewing an artist whose work I became enchanted with several months ago. Her name is Mariya Bogatyreva, and she lives and works in the Ural Mountains of Russia, where she runs Ural Nature on Etsy with her husband, Stanislav. Together they create jewelry that encases real flowers, leaves, moss, and lichen in crystal resin. The work feels like a time capsule – freezing one perfect moment of beauty forever. I recently purchased one of their dandelion necklaces, and it is amazing to behold. It is incredible seeing how the delicate seeds weren’t crushed and instead are held perfectly forever.
Mariya was kind enough to answer some questions for me via email from her home in Russia about her work with Ural Nature and her creative process.
Image credit: Photos by David Busch
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