Bronze Visionary bracelet.
Handmade with nickel free bronze and darkened sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

Silver and bronze Calavera rings.
​Soon in my online shop.

Sometimes, what we let go of makes us more beautiful. 

Leaf necklaces.
Handmade with 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

I just realized it has been almost two years since I began this blog. I am writing a post to share what I've learnt with you, and will publish it soon. In the meantime, here is a necklace version of the Torch ring in bronze, brass and sterling silver.

Torch necklace.
Handmade with nickel-free bronze, brass and 100% recycled sterling silver.
Soon in my online shop.

In the next few days, I will be adding all of the pieces I made this year to my online shop, including the Lightning necklaces in 100% recycled sterling silver, brass and nickel free bronze.

Starting today, I can no longer guarantee that international delivery will take 2-5 weeks. December is a busy month at the post office, and packages can be delayed up to a few weeks. Around mid January, mail delivery times will return to normal.

Shipping to Mexico City will take aproximately 2-7 business days, and between 1 week to 10 days to reach other parts of the country.

Lightning necklaces.
Handmade and cast in 100% recycled sterling silver, brass and nickel-free bronze.
Soon in my online shop.

Boris, my former boss, once told me, “everything you choose to do in life must give you pleasure. Feel joy when you polish, scrape, sand, or wait for an epoxy to dry! Let this be the most important part of living.”

When Boris said this almost a decade ago, I thought he was nuts. I was in my thirties, could not wait to get on with my life, and wanted to find something more exiting to do than restore antiques. 

I realized I had changed, when I cried at the end of Breaking Bad* (spoiler alert!) Not because Walter dies, but because Jesse is finally saved from self-destruction when he discovers the joy of making something with his full care and attention. I cried, because I too had found it. Boris was right!

*If you yet haven’t seen the series, Breaking Bad, go see it NOW!

Mastery ring.
Handmade with 100% recycled sterling silver and gray moonstone.
​Soon in my online shop.

I own a beautiful collection of clothes and accessories. Some pieces were made by friends who are talented designers, others are trophies I found in my travels, and the rest I made. Well I realized recently, that I hardly ever wore them! Ever since I moved back to Mexico eight years ago, I began to wear a “uniform” of boots, jeans and a black t-shirt. I dressed to blend in and to pass unnoticed!

This changed a few weeks ago when I discovered a very inspiring blog: Thrift me Pretty, by Stasia Savasuk, a creative fashion sylist who makes dressing up in the morning fun and empowering. Her premise is that if you want to feel amazing, you must wear clothes that reflect who you are. She realized how important this was the day she finally let her six year old daughter, Raisa, dress the way she wanted to. After wearing dresses throughout her childhood, Raisa tried on a boys shirt and tie, and exclaimed, exited: I look so handsome! I can run faster! I can jump higher! 

That’s how I want to feel every day.

All this helped me realize that I was dressing carelessly. The consecuence was that I felt uncaring. I thought that dressing with no flair was comfortable and took little time, but the truth is that it made me feel dull and voiceless. 

I justified it by thinking that I was saving my things for a special ocasion, but I am an artist who works alone from home and sells online. When was I going to have that kind of ocasion! Why not make every day feel special, and why not look as creative on the outside as I feel on the inside? I finally get to enjoy my clothes, combine them in interesting ways, and feel happy with the outcome. The best part is that I can now design the kind of bold jewelry I have always wanted to wear.

Visit Stasia’s blog and Instagram account. You will discover a beautiful human being who will inspire you in every way!

Bold ring.
Handmade with 100% recycled sterling silver and labradorite.
Soon in my online shop.

I just posted the Calavera and Silver Cast collection to my online shop.

I was recently interviewed by Isabel García Muñoz for her inspiring online project, Caras de la Información. Her site showcases artists and innovators from around the world, "people who nourish us with their creativity, add something new and contribute to create a world full of ideas that are fresh, original and free." If you speak Spanish, I suggest you visit her site, her interviews are fascinating. 

Isabel's questions made me reflect on the role craftsmanship has in the modern world. I've translated the article below. I hope it inspires you!

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

My dream was to study fashion design in London or New York. I saw fashion as a personal means of creative expression, and I imagined it was a vital part of both cities. I also wanted to be a model. I loved the magic that exists between fashion and photography, and wanted to be a part of it. 

You were first a ceramist and a visual artist, then one day you decided to design jewelry. How did that change your life? 

It was liberating. I felt that painting and sculpture belonged to the intelectual world of visual arts, and as an intuitive creator, I could not identify with it. When I discovered jewelry, I saw an unexplored path, a place where I could find and develop my own voice. Being able to wear what I made also motivated me, because it combined well with my love for fashion. 

How did you begin?

My mother is a natural artist, and she taught me from an early age to dye yarn, punch rugs, knit sweaters, draw, paint and sculpt. By the time I left high school I knew I wanted to do something creative and visual.

During my twenties, I worked in local ceramic and painting studios. In my thirties, I went to university and studied printmaking and ceramic sculpture. For two decades, creativity was an important part of my life, but my main focus was getting to know myself through yoga, meditation and travel. I intuitively knew that in order to be a good artist I first had to know who I was. After living in Vietnam, the United States and Canada, I returned to Mexico and discovered jewelry making. That was six years ago, and since then I've focused my attention on developing work that is very personal. 

What is your vision as an artist? What inspires you to create?

Observing the world around me is my greatest pleasure in life. I am attracted to simple shapes, industrial objects, monumental architecture, and the art of ancient civilizations. I draw a lot, because if I don't capture ideas when I get them, they leave. I can also visualize a piece of jewelry better when I draw it. If I see something that's been done before, I always ask, how would I do that? 
​

​You are a mixture of cultures and you have travelled a lot. What does the contact with other countries bring you? 

Mexico is the place I love the most, and although I was born here, I consider myself a citizen of the world.  My mother is British and my father is Mexican-Lebanese. From an early age I came into contact with diverse cultures, and since then I find travel very nourishing. When I work in my studio, I travel by listening to audiobooks and interviews. I spend most of my time alone and I connect with the rest of the world through the stories I hear.

How does travel feed your creativity?

When I travel, all of my senses awaken the moment I leave home. I like to travel with a good camera and I photograph everything that grabs my attention. Capturing images allows me to know my point of view, and that's where I discover my vision as an artist. I notice my preference for certain forms and I learn to compose. If you ask me whether I prefer to enjoy what others have made, or I'd rather make something myself, I will always prefer the latter. I am not a passive traveler, I'd rather be on the side of the maker than the consumer.  

Are you interested in the crafts tradition? 

I feel that in an industrialized world, the most valuable objects are those that have a human touch. Not only because they are handmade, but because they are made with emotion. They are pieces that transmit life. 

My work is artisanal: I build each piece of jewelry by hand using rudimentary techniques and simple tools. I studied jewelry in a government-run trade school, and what I learnt can be done in a small space with a low budget. When I create, I am not interested in technology (although I am when I share my work). What I value most are my hands, my eyes and my imagination. My mother is a textile artist, and from her I inherited the pleasure of making things that aren't available elsewhere. 

How do you merge craftsmanship and modernity? 

I think that modernity does not come from following a trend, but by discovering who you are on the inside, and creating something that reflectes it on the outside. Traditional crafts tend to follow inherited techniques and imagery. It would be difficult for me to repeat the same pieces. I would die of boredom. I'm interested in discovering possibilities. What else can I do with an idea? This evolution makes my work current. As long as I feel alive, so will my work.

What materials do you like to use in your work?

My favorite raw material is sterling silver because it ages well and lasts a long time. I like the contrast between a smooth surface and texture, between what is matte and shiny. I also use semi-precious stones because they have a special energy. I'm in awe of the fact that they took millions of years to form, and I imagine all that had to happen for them to have a particular structure and color. 

What kind of pieces do you make?

What I most make are rings. I love my hands, and they are the part of my body that I most adorn. Perhaps that's why I keep trying to make "The Ring," the one that is so special that it ends my search. I also enjoy making necklaces and earrings. 

Are you interested in recovering traditions and sustainability?

I like to inspire those who want to create. I am exited to live in a world where everyone finds and expresses their unique voice. Where we don't limit ourselves, and are enriched by our diversity. I think the human species will have a future only if we can find meaning in what we generate. We are creators by nature. If we stop that impulse, we will destroy not only ourselves, but everything around us.
​

​My business model is sustainable in several ways. I make my jewelry with sterling silver recycled from photographic processes. I work from home, and shop for all of my raw materials locally. I am fortunate to be part of a generation that was not raised with the internet, but learnt to use it in time to take full advantage of its benefits. I now only sell online, which allows me to ship to all parts of the world, receive direct feedback from my customers, and spend most of my time making stronger work.

Are we going back to craftsmanship and quality design?

A few years ago I worked for an NGO helping traditional potters use unleaded glazes in their wares. As I visited the craftspeople in the Michoacán region, I realized that the only artisans that would survive globalization were those who had their own voice and made outstanding pieces. Objects that found their own market niche because they reflected mastery and had a unique and personal vision. I think we will always value creations that are born in the depths of human imagination.

Where can we buy your jewelry?

On my website: www.musibatty.com. I ship to most parts of the world.

What are you working on now? What projects are coming up? 

When I began, I though I'd create a business based on my jewelry, accessories, clothing and decorating designs. Since then, I've discovered that what I most love is making one-of-a-kind jewelry that embodies my vision as an artist.

What challenges do you have as a designer and citizen of the world? 

My goal is to create jewelry that moves me and those who wear it deeply. Pieces that inspire others to explore their imagination. We don't need more stuff, but we do seek objects that are meaningful and uplift us. Work that reminds us of the great potential that exists within every human being.
​

Calavera rings.
Handmade and cast in nickel-free bronze.
​Soon in my online shop.

How do I face death? By living. By embracing opportunities with love and courage. I know life will end one day, but what can I do about it? Crawl into bed and hope it's over soon? I've tried that, but it was no fun. This is all the time I have. Let's see what I can do with it!

Calavera pendants.
Handmade and cast in brass and nickel-free bronze.
Soon in my online shop.

Torch and Lightning rings.
Handmade with brass and nickel free bronze.
​Soon in my online shop.