I would like to invite you all, lovely people, to come to the Opening Night of Cluster Contemporary Jewellery ’s Intimate Fair the 8th of December, 5.30pm, in Oxford Street, London
Pure creative energy, unmitigated and unapologetic, Cluster Jewellery is a celebration of diversity, style and material curated with love by Ema Marinova. A melting pot defined by the sole necessity to express and provoke. I am very excited to be part of this cluster of creatives.
The opening night is free and informal. It will be lovely to see friendly faces. Just click to RSVP
Launching a jewellery brand in the middle of a pandemic was a strange step to take. Stranger even to think that I dare to launch M.Kala thanks to the pandemic! With every business and trade moving on line, I thought that it was the right time to show my work without a great capital investment and that I could slowly learn, adapt and grow without loosing too many feathers...
So... I was very grateful for the opportunity to get out there virtually with Handmade in Britain. Handmade in Britain is regarded as a leading organiser of contemporary craft selling events in the UK. They accepted my application for the Kala Collection. I had to prepare videos presenting the pieces but I also had to speak live for more than 15 minutes on Instagram. I may have been a teacher but I am still a silly shy person and, believe it or not, I found the exercise very stressful.
How lucky then I was to be selected in April- along with 26 other makers - to participate in the Crafting Business programme funded by Crafting Europe and delivered in the UK by the Craft Council. For a self-taught crafter like myself but also for any self-employed maker trying to step into the market, being under the nursing watch of the Craft Council U.K and on their listing of makers is highly encouraging.
I learnt a lot from the business coaching scheme and I can’t wait to meet again with all the makers and our coordinators to share our progress next year. Speaking in public was covered along with defining goals, planning, budgeting, website development and SEO, writing, applying for grants, etc… If I still feel very anxious before speaking in public, I have now some tools and techniques to help relax and keep my focus.
Encouragements continued when the Goldsmith Centre selected me as a new talent, among 13 other new jewellers, for their SHINE 2021 exhibition. I was so delighted when I saw for the first time my Kala necklace hanging under glass like a rare object. It looks so beautiful I couldn’t believe it was my hard work! The exhibition opened in October and is still open to the public until the 22nd of December in the main hall of the Goldsmith Centre if you wish to visit.
Last October in Manchester, the good sells I made at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair gave me a real boost. It felt therefore natural to become a regular exhibitor therefore I have join their online edition of Manchester’s award-winning Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair among with 100 other selected makers handpicked by a panel of craft experts.
Finally,
I am ending the year with a display of two variations around the Sand and Fire theme - the Kala and Birth collections – at the Cluster exhibition on Oxford Street.
I would really love to see friendly faces during the free private view on the 8th of December : 5:30pm – 8:30pm - Just click RSVP
9th –12th December | Open To The Public: 11am – 7pm
And what's ahead ? It is to be seen and it has no importance. But whatever it is it will come most certainly in a shape of a jewellery piece.
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thank you all for the support !
