Moorea Seal is my featured Sponsor this month. Her work is stunning and I am proud to share this little interview (and giveaway too!) with her today. Moorea is one of the most talented young designers I've bumped into recently. We'll be carrying some of her pieces at Red Velvet this season. I am so excited to watch her career grow.
Here's some of her lovely work and a short interview...
Elsie: Where do you gather inspiration for your pieces?
Moorea: I've lived in Seattle for the past 6 years and I think I am highly influenced by city I live in. Seattle is a trend setting city for sure in art and music, but people are very subtle in their fashion statements. I like to take that quiet minimalist attitude for fashion and bring it up to a level that is a little bit more statement making. I am a musician and have been writing music since I was 15 so that desire to constantly create something new and refreshing, yet pure and honestly reflective of myself applies to both my passion for music and my passion for jewelry designing. I guess my philosophy for living is what most inspires my pieces, I want to constantly create things that are fresh and innovative, but still honoring the past (like hints of a 70s chic vibe) and I want to be truly proud of each item I make, so I constantly am checking with myself, do I really love this? Deep thinking, an appreciation for beauty and innovation, friendliness and uniqueness are what inspire me! A beautiful song or new growth in the forest could equally inspire me as well :)
Elsie: Can you share a little bit about your creative process?
Moorea: I spend a lot of time online since I am a blogger, an etsy shop owner, and a designer for Freckled Nest. And I am constantly taking mental note of innovative things I see. I keep my eye out for new trends and get really excited about anything new that feels a little bit daring, or challenging the current popular trend. I keep an inspiration folder of images on my desktop and I use pinterest to grab images that I find inspirational. When I am ready to start coming up with new ideas for my shop, I go to my pinterest and my Inspiration folder on my desktop to analyze any patterns that come up in the images I am noting. Triangles, chevron shapes, natural crystal forms, muted pastel colors and metals, simple color palettes, woodsy images, feminine daintiness with pops of a tough tom boy attitude, 70s chic, and minimalist modernism are some of the themes that are popping up in the images I like right now. So I try to evoke those vibes and imagery in the pieces I create. I also try to keep in mind the type of girl I am designing for, basically the girl I am and want to be, ever evolving and progressing, forward thinking but a tiny bit nostalgic, and a little bit magical.
Elsie: Who are your favorite artists/designers?
Moorea: Ooh this is always hard. In music, I am a huge fan of Laura Veirs. Her music is so poetic and I want my jewelry to make it's wearer feel poetic and magical like Laura's music. I also love the daring innovation of Animal Collective. Their music always pushes boundaries, and I want my jewelry to have elements of that. If someone hates my jewelry, I say, awesome, that means I am challenging them to see something new! In jewelry design, Pamela Love is just insanely awesome. Her pieces are so powerful and raw, obviously feminine, but less dainty and more reflective of a edgy lady with a strong voice. Another designer I adore is Angie from Norweigan Wood. She is super inspiring to me. She designs clothing and jewelry and tells stories through her pieces. She is definitely a visual poet with a unique voice.Elsie: What are your goals for this coming year?
Moorea: This year I am really hoping to solidify my business, getting myself to a point where I feel like I have all the basic needs set. I started my jewelry business just one year ago but only realized how much strength I have in my work within the last couple of months. It has only been within the last 6 months that I have really realized, wow, maybe I want to do this for the rest of my life! Realizing I adore my work means I need to really invest in it, so I just want to get my basic business needs in order, creating a structured work environment and getting all the technology based supplies I need to sustain my business. On the fun side of things, I'd love to create a lookbook and maybe a lookbook video. I'd love to collaborate with an apparel designer to create jewelry pieces that go with their clothing, maybe designing for a fashion show! And one day, I'd love to include clothing under my own company. But I'll need to hire a few employees before that happens! :) The most important goal I have this year is to simply work hard and enjoy what I am creating and to have passion and excitement about everything I make! I love making people happy through gift giving, so each time I send out a package of jewelry, I feel a special kind of happiness knowing my jewelry might brighten someones day. I love what I do. :)
Would you love to own one of Moorea's pieces? Visit her Etsy Shop and then leave a little hello here in the comments for a chance to win these two gorgeous pieces. Thanks so much, Moorea. XO, elsie
oh my gosh i love everything in her shop! i want to get one of the amethyst rings. I am also giving my sister a link to one of her rings to check out! lovely shop! <3
Posted by: Jasmine | February 23, 2011 at 08:04 AM
everything is so pretty!
Posted by: kendra | February 23, 2011 at 08:07 AM
I am so in love with her shop, I look through it all the time!!
Posted by: Shelby | February 23, 2011 at 08:18 AM
I love the crystal rings. I also love it when people follow their dreams and love what they are doing!
- Meredith
www.findingsoulbalance.blogspot.com
Posted by: Meredith | February 23, 2011 at 08:19 AM
So many of her things remind me of fashion from my favorite children's books- like the Oz series. Only, you know, wearable, in the world of today. I especially liked the headdresses and the body harnesses.
Posted by: Kristian | February 23, 2011 at 08:21 AM
those earring are really pretty! I also envy the model's freckles.
Posted by: Lisa in Berlin | February 23, 2011 at 08:21 AM
I love the no. 200 Triangle Grid Necklace in her shop but pretty much everything is beautiful. Moorea is very talented.
Kezia x
Posted by: Kezia | February 23, 2011 at 08:22 AM
all of the drop earrings are so great! but all of the pieces are so creative but wearable. i would wear any piece!
Posted by: Julie | February 23, 2011 at 08:23 AM
Good Morning!
I just took a study break and check out her shop! It was the perfect bit of inspiration I needed to get through this final!
Posted by: Meggie pie | February 23, 2011 at 08:24 AM
Such a talented artist, I have her etsy page as one of my 'favs'. Thanks for the giveaway and thanks for the totally bitchin' blog!
Posted by: Sarah Jane | February 23, 2011 at 08:24 AM
Oh the gypsy crown is just to die for. I'd love to wear one for my wedding!!
Beautiful work!!
Posted by: Danielle | February 23, 2011 at 08:24 AM
omygosh they r all so lovely!
Posted by: kai | February 23, 2011 at 08:24 AM
i love her pieces ever since you started featuring her. what a great post. thanks for sharing Elise
Posted by: zelina | February 23, 2011 at 08:25 AM
I'm in awe of those rings, I plan on making myself one for the longest time but never find any crystals that come even close to those amazing amethyst "flowers".
Posted by: Katarina | February 23, 2011 at 08:26 AM
ahh gorg!
Posted by: janis | February 23, 2011 at 08:26 AM
her work is sooo pretty, i love the little crown in her sponsorship advert x
Posted by: lucy | February 23, 2011 at 08:28 AM
That Gypsy Loop Crown is GORGEOUS! Love.
Posted by: Megan | February 23, 2011 at 08:28 AM
What gorgeous jewelry!
Posted by: Cedar | February 23, 2011 at 08:28 AM
Great giveaway! I'm in!!
Posted by: Anne | February 23, 2011 at 08:29 AM
neeeeeeeeeed all of her stuff. those rings are way way too good.
Posted by: Madison | February 23, 2011 at 08:29 AM