September Visiting Artist: LAKS Jewelry
We are excited to welcome up and coming local maker, LAKS Jewelry to Moon+Arrow for September. Starting September 1st you can shop LAKS Jewelry online or in the shop.
Q: What is the significance behind your jewelry company’s name?
“Laks” is the name of the street I grew up on. I lived in a few places as a kid, but something about that period of my life I am so nostalgic about. I have some really positive and formative memories there. I really like the concept of “heirloom” and tradition which also relate to family, so it seemed fitting.
Q: How did you start making Jewelry?
I was a printmaking major at Pratt Institute and I took a few jewelry class and fell in love! Both jewelry and printmaking require you to learn and repeat process to make the work, which I gravitate towards. I think it’s kind of therapeutic to repeat the same process! Also, once you get the process down, you have the right tools to do some experimenting.
Q: What are some of your goals this upcoming year? Where do you see your business in the next couple of years?
My goals this upcoming year is to work with gold more and to also do more home goods work in metal. In a few years, the big goals is to open a small store front and teach classes, rent studio space and have shows! I am hoping this year to just collaborate with artists in other mediums, I feel like that always inspires new ideas.
Q: What is your favorite part about being an artist in Philadelphia?
I feel like Philly has a great sense of community. Everyones always recommending someone, or sending you post about something you’d be interested in. I lived in New York for 7 years and it’s stressful and competitive. I find the pace and environment not compatible with how I grow and make work, and people lie to much about their work-life balance. Every big exciting opportunity
so far happened in Philly and I couldn’t be happier!
Q: Where do you find inspiration, what artist do you admire?
I find it a lot in nature! There are some really beautiful patterns and shapes in plants, but also really beautiful and subtle textures in stone, I think it’s for that reason that I love Iasmu Noguchi. I also draw a lot of inspo from my printmaking work, especially relief printing. Carving into wax gives me the same kind of feeling. I also have really been into iron gates around philly recently!