Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Carbia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I first knew I wanted to pursue an artistic career ever since I was in 3rd grade. I loved arts and crafts! I use to carry a fishing box with fishing wire and colorful beads to school and everywhere I went. My Dad would take me to an arts and crafts store back home in Puerto Rico called Capri, where he would buy me beads to make jewelry. I would make necklaces and hair accessories and sell them in school in 3rd and 4th grade. when I was in intermediate school there was an art award that students would receive in 8th grade if they had excellent grades in art for 3 years from 6th to 8th grade. I wanted that art award so much that I ended up getting it in 8th grade!!! just me and 2 other students got the award! I was always so proud of that, I knew art and creativity was my passion. Later on I ended graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu, with a bachelors in interdisciplinary studies in fashion accessories design. I made my own major combining metalsmithing, fashion merchandising, women studies and business.
I worked in the surf industry for many years after that doing merchandising and sales, but after my daughter was born I knew I couldn’t go back into the hustle of a 9 to 5 due to the fact that I was a full time Mom, so that’s when my Jewelry Line was born. A year after my daughter was born I decided to create my line and name it KALA after my her. I started selling my jewelry to my friends and clients from the surf industry in surf shops and boutiques, and ever since its been a learning and growing experience.

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?

I graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu, with a bachelors in interdisciplinary studies in fashion accessories design. I made my own major combining metalsmithing, fashion merchandising, women studies, and business.

I worked in the surf industry for many years doing merchandising and sales, I Did visual merchandising with Roxy and Quiksilver in Hawaii, moved back home to Puerto Rico and was a sales Rep for bikinis and clothing and I absolutely loved it. in 2010 my daughter was born and I knew I couldn’t go back into the hustle of a 9 to 5 due to the fact that I was a full time Mom, so that’s when my Jewelry Line was born. A year after my daughter was born I decided to create my line and name it KALA after her. I started selling my jewelry to my friends and clients from the surf industry in surf shops and boutiques, and ever since its been a learning and growing experience.
Now days we live in Ventura, California and I am a jewelry designer. I work with different metals like gold, silver, gold~filled and brass. I shape, cut, sawder metal, mount stones, incorporate beads, pearls, shells and all kind of interesting findings together in my pieces. I am deeply inspired by the ocean and nature. I like to create pieces that are unique and one of a kind. My work is very unique and handcrafted with Love. A lot of my pieces are perfectly imperfect and that is what sets me apart from other jewelry brands. Another thing is that I am a one woman show! I make everything myself from my studio.
I try to be as sustainable as possible so I recycle my metals, I buy gems and materials from local companies in the USA and all my packaging is made from recycled materials and avoid the use of plastics.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think that Society needs to start supporting more the work of creative artists and small companies that care about the ecosystem and are locally made. People and buyers need to stop comparing the work of artists and creatives with small companies to the work of big chain companies that mass produce fast fashion and one time wearable jewelry that ends up in the trash after a couple of uses. I mean yes the product or the necklace might be cheaper but in the end will it last you? or will it end up in the dumpster creating more pollution to our ecosystem? Also are they aware that maybe the necklace or piece of clothing they are wearing might have been made by a Childs labor? or maybe by the labor of an exploded human worker in non humanitarian working conditions, being payed extremely low wages, and working on non humane and dirty environments with 14 hour shifts and sometimes no bathroom breaks.
We need to educate everybody about this topic. I am lucky and thankful for the professors I had in Women’s studies classes who taught us about this humanitarian crisis in the fashion industry, so I will carry the message along the road.
For this reason I am proud to say that my jewelry is ethically and sustainably made from quality materials that will last you, and won’t end up in a dumpster polluting the earth.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

My most rewarding aspect of being a jewelry designer is seeing my work on other people and listening to them say oh my gosh I still have that beautiful necklace I purchased 10 years ago and I still wear it all the time!! Being an artist sometimes its hard to be creative and to be confident about my work, but thanks to those little stories, special customers, friends and family that have supported my small company through all the years, thanks to them my passion for creating continues flowing.

Contact Info:

• Website: kalahandmadewithlove.com
• Instagram: @kala_handmadewithlove
• Linkedin: kalahandmadewithlove333

Image Credits
Orlando Iglesias