We recently connected with Adriana Kelly and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Adriana , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
It all began when I married an Army Soldier in 2001. My life from then on has never been the same. As a military spouse, I was introduced to that new culture and had the opportunity to live in many different places, and meet incredible people. I decided that I wanted a job that could fit in with the military lifestyle but also, that I would enjoy and give me the flexibility of being a full-time mother one day. And I found it! While sitting on the floor of an empty house, in a new city, I had the idea to start a very different type of hobby for me. Suddenly, I started to pull apart and rebuild small pieces of jewelry that I had bought in Brazil. They were exotic jewelries made of natural resources such as golden grass, seeds, quartz, and coconut shells. However, I didn’t know how to start my own business. Little by little, I learned to redesign those ready-made Brazilian jewelry by adding other pieces to make them even more beautiful. I created so many unique new styles and made them my own personal pieces. After I made enough jewelry to display, I started asking some people from the city where I lived in Pennsylvania, how to participate in a craft shows. I had a lot of people guide me and mentor me in this process. Then, on July 4th, 2001, I nervously participated in my first craft show. At that time, I didn’t understand everything that people were saying to me because my English was still very limited. It ended up being a wonderful experience, and my jewelry was very well received by the customers. The funny part was that I heard my name at the end of the show and didn’t’ understand they were announcing that I won first place in the best craft jewelry category. Luckily, I had my ex-husband there to help translate. That day inspired and motivated me to continue this business. It was such honor to receive that award. From then on, each show has been very exciting because people are still very surprised by what can be done with natural resources. I have clients there are delighted and really appreciate my work. And I always tell them… this is not just my source of income but my therapy too and I love what I do. As you can see, one thing has led to another. There were some ups and downs but, in the end, everything worked out. I believe my professional artistic/creative path came from not just the people that helped me throughout these years but also to my discipline, persistence, and resilience and of course with God’s protection! It has been unforgettable and incredible, but it didn’t happen overnight. Entrepreneurship found me, it is now my life and passion.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As an immigrant from Brazil, I had to learn to speak English better and just going to school 2 hour a day 3 times a week was not enough to master the language. As an immigrant I often felt very lonely because I was so far from my family, friends, career, culture, and language. I left it all for something that I had never experienced before, a different culture and lifestyle. I learned a lot about the Military life, lived in many different places, and met incredible people. However, I also learned through my loneliness how to deal with these challenges. It was like being born again and becoming a mature adult. It was hard but with courage and perseverance, I learned to be a resilient person. I knew that I would continue to be away from family in case I needed help because we moved so much in the military. Although my family was small with my husband and son, I learned that family does not just come from your blood but from real friendships. I’m very proud that I made this choice, and it made my life very meaningful.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Initially, what drove me to start on my creative journey was all the adversities that I faced as an immigrant and military spouse. I wanted to continue to be an independent and productive woman, like I was in Brazil, with a healthy mind and body while being a supportive wife and soon-to-be mother. Now, my mission and goal, what keeps me going, is to always make beautiful pieces. I want my customers to continue to be enchanted by my jewelry, it makes me so happy! And that is not only because it is my source of income, which drives me, but also because I have the flexibility to travel a lot where I meet incredible people and wonderful places, and of course visit my family in Brazil once a year.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding thing for me is receiving many compliments from my clients for my creativity and how I treat them. They always come back and also refer me to their family and friends. My days get brighter every time I see a client using my pieces. These are blessings for me!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nature-jewelry.com
- Instagram: naturejewelry_by_adriana
- Facebook: Nature Jewelry golden Grass
