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Meet the Artisan: Maya Studio

Meet the Artisan: Maya Studio

Kriti, founder of Maya Studio, was born in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. She loves the color blue, Mediterranean food, and traveling. But what she loves most is designing colorful handcrafted jewelry. Read on :)

Tell us about yourself

Thanks to my travels, I came across many different cultures. I found it fascinating that women of different backgrounds have such diverse ways of adorning themselves. Because of this, the urge to promote the art of Jaipur awakened inside of me.

I have always been fascinated by the art of handcrafted jewelry. But, I never got to actually be in the field until I got married. Many people in Jaipur have a long lineage in the craft and trade business, which is handed down from generation to generation.

My husband is one of those people and his family has been designing and crafting jewelry for many years. When I married him, I was exposed to the vast and enigmatic beauty of handcrafted jewelry. I would spend most of my time watching him and his family work. It was a delight to see. 

For quite some time I made designs and handcrafted jewelry with different color stones. My family and friends appreciated all of my designs and eventually their support encouraged me to open my own store. So, I started selling on Discovered in 2017.

topaz-artisan-maya-studio

What is your source of inspiration?

When I craft, I love to play with different color stones. Not only to keep up with the latest fashion trends, but also to speak to different personalities. Most importantly, I want my handcrafted jewelry to bring joy, happiness and a smile on the wearers face.

I love all the colors our beautiful world has to offer, and nature is my biggest inspiration. Nature has such an enigmatic beauty. I like to take the varied forms and colors and use them in my designs. That’s why my jewelry has so many colored stones. I also incorporate flowers and leaves in my designs.

My customers are another major source of inspiration. They are my biggest asset and so is their feedback. Because, all the feedback I get teaches me something.

 

How is a day in your life like?

I design whenever inspiration kicks in, which means I can be busy with it anytime of the day. Usually, my day begins at the office, where I review the orders and the new designs. I assign a different 'karigar' to each order and new design. I do this, because each 'karigar' is efficient in a particular kind of craftsmanship.

✻  'Karigar' is the Urdu word for 'artisan', one who professes and practices some liberal art.

The rest of the day I upload new designs on the website and pack & send orders. Of course, my team helps me accomplish these daily tasks. Every now and then, I go and buy gemstones for my jewelry. I gather my materials from 'karigars' or gemstone cutlers, who are the backbone of jewelry trade in Jaipur. The biggest challenge I face during work is making sure that I buy from gemstone vendors who work on fair wages and adhere to strict no-child labor policies only.

 

Part of my profit goes to the welfare of my craftsmen’s families. In the next 5 years, I hope my company will be able to do even more for them because they are the real backbone of my company and give life to all my creations.

On my day off, I love to spend my time with my lovely children and loving husband and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. Once in a while, I take them to the countryside to relax. We really enjoy going out together for walks. A day off means a family day. 

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