ARTIST - JASNA

I have been lucky to embark on multiple professional journeys in my life on three different continents - Europe, the USA and Australia. I was a linguist, a social worker and a website designer. I then became a jewellery artist. The first three careers finished prematurely for various reasons. That finally gave way to my current and favourite profession. I always knew that my calling involved some sort of visual art, and I chose jewellery art for a few reasons – it is a perfect opportunity for small projects, many happy customers, big exposure and steady sales.

I am an impulsive doer - a creator. I have always been an inventor, always adventurous in my creativity. I remember constructing a leather bag and sandals with no tools when I was 15. The sandals fell apart a few days after the launch, while the lovely leather bag which I stitched with thick hessian rope dazzled my friends and family for much longer. Of course, I then started making earrings and rings from wire and air-drying clay for all my friends. And these occasional creative escapades retained a safe and happy place throughout my life.

The excitement of creating inspired me to continue learning more and creating jewellery pieces regularly, which culminated in my decision to commit to it full time. I founded BoldRay Designs in 2006 as a small-scale boutique arts business based in Sydney. I named my business after a made up story that I told to my young children. Hoping to instil in them a sense of being special and unique, I created an adventure, describing the beauty of a single ray of light that shines through the clouds and rises above all darkness just to paint a magnificent rainbow. And that is exactly what I want for my jewellery – to be bold and striking, to excite and delight.

STUDIO

My art studio is a small makeshift and multipurpose space where I let loose in a creative fever. The studio might look messy but not to worry, I am very comfortable in my private chaos. I designed it so that one part of the workshop belongs to projects involving resin casting, sanding and polishing and the other part is dedicated to polymer clay. I switch in between these two media seasonally. I work with resin in spring and autumn, and with polymer clay during summer and winter.

My workspace is flexible and easily transformed from season to season. The swapping happens because resin is a temperamental medium that does not tolerate heat and humidity.

My creative flow does not tolerate rigorous planning or production scheduling. I can achieve this level of freedom because there is only me, my tools and materials in my little studio, and an entire world of creative possibilities for me to choose from. It is true that occasionally I would like to have an assistant – a project support. Years ago I thought I had myself an apprentice, but she deserted me and moved out of the house (hehehe).

Now, I depend on my new helper. However, she sleeps too much and procrastinates on the job. Nonetheless, I get entertainment worth from her.

VALUES

BoldRay Designs has a mission to hand-make original, ever-inspiring and bold jewellery art that will transport each consumer on an adventure of unique self-exploration and expression.
The company's prescribed core guiding principles and values summarise the preferred philosophy.
• Business is driven by sustained passion for creation and expressing individuality, as well as commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
• Constantly thinking outside the box and breaking conventions naturally leads to originality and innovation.
• Attention to detail and dedication to perfection produce superb product quality.
• Respect for people and embrace of diversity as well as humility are the basis for ethical behaviour and commitment to customers.
• Caring for the natural world should be the first consideration in every business decision, even for small businesses. Environmental impact and sustainability should never give way to financial considerations.
I source most of my materials locally. Some I collect at the beach or forest (e.g. pebbles, sea glass, sea shells, wood chips). I hand-make my resin and polyclay elements. That is why I source my materials locally, some of which I collect at the beach or forest (e.g. pebbles, sea glass, sea shells, wood chips). My production is small in scale and has no waste or surplus. I do not use heavy machinery or kilns. I work under natural light or under LED lamps. For anything that I use, I reuse and recycle it afterwards. My packaging is simple – just my business card in a reusable organza bag. When posting an item, I reuse padding and packaging.