making of thank you rain

this collection was born near the mountains of San Mateo Xalpa, in Xochimilco ~ a small pueblo outside Mexico City, where time moves slow and the air is fresh 

my friend Rodrigo, a jeweler with two decades of devotion to his craft, generously welcomed me into his sunlit studio to teach me the ancient art of silversmithing

the space is humble and soulful ~ concrete and wood, large works of art, orange stained glass windows and skylights revealing tall, lush trees. it is the rainy season here, and we were lucky enough to be visited by peaceful rainfall nearly every day we worked on the collection. one small leak in the roof made me happier than it should've.

i grew up in a small, quiet town where rain falls over 120 days a year. after eight sweet sunny years in Los Angeles ~where it rains less than 40 days annually~ i missed it deeply

California will always have my heart. my dream is to one day find a home near Santa Cruz ↟ but this past July, i made an unexpected move to Mexico City. a return to my maternal roots, a place that inspires me profoundly. here, it is electric, vibrant, and thankfully, blessed with plenty of rain.

i knew i owed a thank you to rain, expressed in the best way i know: jewelry. i sketched up a few designs, met with Rodrigo and with his guidance and mastery, we brought them to life. the result: more magical than i could have ever imagined. 

what moved me most was how elemental the process is ~ starting with small pebbles of fine silver, then to local metalsmiths to be melted, rolled, stretched, and shaped into sheets, wires, and various forms. it's a transformation that feels both alchemical and grounding

as a fire sign, i'll take any excuse to play with flame. melting, soldering, fusing ~ learning how to work with silver has been endlessly exciting and deeply meditative

from there came days of gemstone searching, hours in little shops downtown ~ gathering supplies for my new studio ~ and many early-morning-to-late-night sessions at the workbench with my friend, learning and falling in love with a new craft. it is slow, intentional work ~ much like beading, but more intricate and immersive

rain, to me, is more than weather. it cleanses. it nourishes. it gives permission to pause and reset. that feeling of rejuvenation became the purest motivation as i began a new life in a new country

i chose turquoise and labradorite for the stones because they are both linked ~energetically and symbolically with water, transformation, and tranquility

turquoise offers a steady, grounding presence, while labradorite shimmers and shifts like light on wet pavement. together, they capture the mood of this rainy season in Mexico City

this collection is for anyone who finds comfort in a dark, cloudy sky. for those who slow down with ease when rain begins to fall.

thank you for reading, thank you Rodrigo Pinto and thank you, rain.

collection available october 3rd