>>> FOR LOCAL JEWELRY MAKER, AANANDA CALSA, OWNING HER OWN
SHOP WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE PLAN.
THE NATIVE OF LEVERETT HAS BEEN MAKING JEWELRY PROFESSIONALLY
FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS AND JUST RECENTLY OPENED HER OWN STORE
AND WORKSHOP ON STRONG AVENUE IN NORTHAMPTON.
AT THIS WEEKEND'S PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL, CALSA'S UNIQUE
HAND-PAINTED JEWELRY WILL BE ON DISPLAY ALONG WITH MANY OTHER
WORKS FROM ARTISTS AND ARTISANS.
PRODUCER DAVE FRASER STOPPED BY HER STORE RECENTLY AND SHARES
THIS STORY.
>> I WAS ALWAYS MAKING THINGS GROWING UP.
I ALWAYS LOVED TINY THINGS.
I LOVED MAKING LITTLE ARTWORK IN DIFFERENT MEDIA.
I ALWAYS LOVED JEWELRY, SO I WOULD SAY I WAS ALWAYS KIND OF
MESSING AROUND WITH IT.
I TOOK MY FIRST METAL SMITHING CLASS IN COLORADO AND I LEARNED
TO MAKE SILVER AND GOLD JEWELRY THERE.
WHEN I WAS FIRST LEARNING TO MAKE JEWELRY WITH SILVER, AND
METAL SMITHING, I HAD THE IDEA TO, INSTEAD OF PUT A GEM INSIDE
THE JEWELRY YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE, I HAD THE IDEA TO DO A TINY
LITTLE PAINTING.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
I DID THAT.
I PAINTED ON WATER COLOR PAPER AND SET A CRYSTAL OVER THE TOP,
LIKE A WATCH CRYSTAL.
IT WORKED SO WELL I JUST KIND OF EXPANDED ON THAT.
THAT IS REALLY HOW I GOT MY START MAKING JEWELRY AND SELLING
IT BECAUSE THE RESPONSE WAS REALLY GOOD.
LET'S SAY MY STYLE JUST DEVELOPED ORGANICALLY OVER TIME.
I'M DEFINITELY INSPIRED BY NATURE, I'M INSPIRED BY
GEMSTONES AND THE MATERIALS I USE.
THE PAINTED PIECES ARE DEFINITELY, LITERALLY INSPIRED
BY NATURE, WHETHER IT IS A FLOWER OR A BIRD.
THAT STYLE JUST NATURALLY DEVELOPED OVER TIME.
A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PAINTED PIECES, THERE IS A
LOT OF SYMBOLISM BEHIND SOME OF THE PAINTINGS FOR PEOPLE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES IS I REMEMBER A MAN BUYING AN AUTUMN
MAPLE NECKLACE FOR HIS WIFE BECAUSE THEY WERE MARRIED UNDER
A MAPLE TREE.
THAT SORT OF THING IS VERY, VERY MEANINGFUL TO ME AS I'M CREATING
THE WORK, THINKING ABOUT WHERE IT IS GOING TO END UP AND WHAT
IT IS GOING TO MEAN TO THE PERSON THAT WEARS IT.
ALL OF MY JEWELRY IS MADE FROM NATURAL MATERIALS, WHICH IS
SILVER AND GOLD.
WE TRY TO GET ALL OF OUR MATERIALS FROM ETHICAL SOURCES,
RECYCLED METALS AND GEMSTONE AND THE PAINTED PIECES, OF COURSE.
WE START WITH THE RAW MATERIALS.
WE HAVE SHEETS OF METAL AND WE CUT THEM AND PIERCE THEM AND WE
POLISH THEM AND SOLDER THEM.
WE DO IT IN THE MOST TRADITIONAL WAY OF JEWELRY MAKING.
WE MAKE IT BY HAND AND NOW WE HAVE OUR SHOW ROOM AND STORE
HERE AS WELL.
A LOT OF TIMES WE USE CUSTOMERS' GEMSTONES IN JEWELRY THEY DON'T
WEAR ANYMORE OR REDESIGN THEIR ENGAGEMENT RING OR USE THE
DIAMOND FROM THEIR GRANDMOTHER.
WHICH IS REALLY SPECIAL, TOO.
I HAVE BEEN MAKING JEWELRY FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.
I HAD A STUDIO WHERE WE DENT HAVE A STORE IN THE FRONT.
WE WOULD SEND THE WORK TO OTHER STORES, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL, AND
WE STILL DO THAT.
IT WAS ALWAYS A DREAM TO HAVE A STORE AS WELL.
I THINK WHEN YOU CREATE SOMETHING, LIKE FOR ME, JEWELRY,
THE ULTIMATE IS BEING ABLE TO DESIGN THE SPACE IT IS DISPLAYED
IN AS WELL.
SO CREATIVELY, IT WAS JUST A DREAM THAT NOW IS A REALITY.
ALSO IT IS WONDERFUL TO REALLY INTERACT WITH THE CUSTOMERS AND
THE PEOPLE WHO END UP WEARING THE JEWELRY.
THAT IS A SPECIAL THING TO HAVE BOTH IN ONE SPACE.
SO PARADISE CITY IS A WONDERFUL SHOW THAT I HAVE ENJOYED DOING
FOR AT LEAST 12 YEARS NOW.
THERE'S THE BEST ART, THE BEST ENERGY THERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER NEW ENGLAND AND BEYOND,
WHICH IS REALLY NICE.
AND IT IS WONDERFUL EXPOSURE FOR ALL DIFFERENT ARTISTS AND
MYSELF.
THERE IS GREAT FOOD.
USUALLY GOOD WEATHER.
JEWELRY IS VERY, VERY MEANINGFUL TO PEOPLE.
IT IS FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION, IT COULD BE WEDDING RINGS, IT COULD
BE ANNIVERSARIES, GIFTS.
AND I THINK THAT MY JEWELRY ENDS UP MEANING A LOT TO PEOPLE FOR A
LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS AND IT IS REALLY SPECIAL TO SEE WHAT
THOSE REASONS ARE.