In a sense, SJO JEWELRY was born a decade ago while I was attending Otis College of Art & Design. Located in downtown Los Angeles, our campus was in the center of a vibrant and inspiring series of city blocks, filled with fabrics, beads and trims from all around the world. Every time I made a trip to the fabric store to pick up something for school projects, I would be sure to take a detour to my little circuit of bead stores, including my favorite, the now defunct Berger Beads. This avid collecting spilled over into my weekends - which usually consisted of me dragging family members all over the greater Los Angeles area on my hunt for treasures. I still remember when my dad bought me my first strand of lapis lazuli beads from a little hobby shop in Studio City - it was there (and also thanks to dad) that I discovered my love for African trade beads. My love for all things shimmery comes from my mom - who is always dressed to the nines and always has a bit (or a lot) of sparkle on. We would spend Sundays combing flea markets for vintage pieces of jewelry that I would disassemble and re-imagine constantly.

Color is my main source of inspiration. It’s what I’m first drawn to when looking at a painting, a flower, a beautiful tapestry. For me, color is the driving creative force. I remember when I was a kid, coloring books were my favorite activity. I felt that as I filled the pages with color, I was imbuing the drawings with life. Every color added infused the outlined forms with energy. It was a very powerful feeling for me. That emotional connection with color has continued into my adult life. Each of my pieces begins with an intuitive palette that I build upon, introducing textures and shapes to play with the colors. It’s nearly impossible for me to create the same piece twice - each one has its own unique energy. I hope that you’ll enjoy wearing my works as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing them to life.