AKI ISHIHARA

Aki grew up in a multigenerational household in Osaka Japan where she learned to appreciate jewelry from a young age. Her mother and grandmother both had a fine collection they would generously share with here to wear, and later gave as heirloom gifts.

Aki’s taste in jewelry, along with fashion, art, and music began to develop while in Japan but expanded considerably with her travels abroad. Aki spent a decade exploring different countries and cultures acquiring a deep treasure trove of images, experiences, and ideas that she holds dear. This is a resource that Aki continues to draw from.

Aki’s jewelry is primarily created with a lost wax technique where the piece is first carved in wax and then cast in silver. Her artistic process is to work from an idea, to a drawing on paper, and then to wax. The wax carving process is often a time for further development and refining of the design. Finding a way to make the initial idea work within the particular confines of a practical piece of jewelry can be challenging but fun, and often leads to new ideas. It is most important that the true feeling intended in the design comes through in the final piece. Aki patiently works the wax into beautiful shapes until they themselves declare completion. This traditional process of jewelry making is time intensive but allows Aki to focus on every detail of each step, slowly and meticulously creating works of art as one of a kind single pieces or in small batches.

Each piece, as it spends time in the hands of its creator, begins to take on a life of its own. The energy of the initial idea is passed into each piece through the physical process of creation and a bond is formed that bridges the maker to the creation, giving life and personality to an object that goes out to live in the world. This link from the initial spark of concept that runs through the process of creation continues on when it leaves Aki’s workshop. That first energy is held and continues to live through the piece of jewelry with its caretaker.

Aki lives and creates from Quadra Island, located on the west coast of Canada.