Most of us have only one love of our lives, but when it comes to the world of art it is possible to have love at first sight several times over. In the case of Ahna, this came first in the form of a stained glass course she took in 1996, and repeated itself again when she took a metal-smithing class ten years later.

In all, Ahna’s love for creation extends into painting, sewing, silk screening, photography, candles, perfumes and cabochons. This diversity of skills is why I thought her background might be of interest to Cuteable readers. I’m therefore happy to present the following interview with Art Created’s Ahna.

Cuteable: Thanks for agreeing to do this interview with me, Ahna! First, can you tell me a little bit about Art Created’s beginnings?

Ahna: Thank you Sion… I’m happy to answer your questions. I thought I would grow up to be a photographer; I studied at C.C.A.C. in Oakland, Ca. but tragedy struck my family and I had to return home. Life took some twists and turns and I had to put art on the back burner for many years. I then married and bought a 1920 era home that needed a lot of work. During this time, I decided to take a night course in stained glass, just for fun. I wound up falling in love with it and created several original designs. I found that a lot of the principles that I learned in photography could be applied to stained glass such as the play of color and light.

Hard times fell upon us once again and we had to sell our home and move. We moved to a very small mountain town and I was left with a lot of time on my hands. So, I decided to take a metalsmith class at a local college. Well, me and jewelry got along very well; I picked up on it as if I had been doing it all along. I must of had some pent up creativity in me because for the next 4 months, all I could do was create. Design after design just kept happening and all of a sudden I had about 100 pieces of jewelry. I had no choice but to try and sell it and so Art Created was born.

Cuteable: As an artist and designer, how do you keep yourself inspired? Are there any particular sources of inspiration that you regularly draw upon?

Ahna: This is always a tough question for me to answer. I guess I am lucky because inspiration comes from within; my creativity just happens. But like an author with “writer’s block”, I go through periods of “artist’s block”. During those times I find that my friends and colleges can inspire me just by talking about new designs and what not. I have also found that new materials can be a source of inspiration; funny what a new strand of beads can do! Having a clear mind can also bring about inspiration; therefor I practice Reiki and absolutely love it. Inspiration and creativity does not flow when I am stressed.

Cuteable: You seem to be quite prolific; I see a wide variety of jewelry, scented products, stained glass and artwork in your shop. Is there any medium that you prefer above others, and if so, why?

Ahna: Great question. I just love arts and crafts, that’s the short answer. But the real answer is that my mind gets bored very easily and I have to switch things up in order to satisfy my mind. I’m pretty open about my disabilities and they actually have a name for this; ADD, although I don’t find it a disability at all. Having to keep my mind busy all the time means being a very productive person; I see no disability in that. So, I just enjoy rotating from medium to the next.

Cuteable: As you’re probably aware, there are quite a few people in the jewelry making business; in your mind, what do you think sets your work apart from others?

Ahna: Well, the term unique is over used, as is the phrase one-of-a-kind but those two come to my mind. I don’t follow trends so people can truly find something different from me. Hum, funny, I have a hard time talking up my own work. Maybe it’s that my work is bold, colorful and crafted with spiritual intent.

Cuteable: For those of our readers who don’t know, what exactly is a Cabochon? Can you tell us more about your own Designer Cabochons?

Ahna: Yes, a cabochon is a shaped stone used in jewelry. A designer cabochon is using the best part of the stone to get the best color and design, therefor producing a higher quality cabochon. I’ve chopped up a whole stone just for 1 cabochon because I want the best in my work. I love making cabochons, it’s a very relaxing, almost Zen-like process for me.

Cuteable: Lastly, are there any projects you’re working on that you’d like our readers to know about?

Ahna: Yes, I’ve got to mention my 2 promotional teams that I run; EJA and SDA. EJA is the Eclectic Jewelry Artisans and our gallery can be found at eclecticjewelryartisans.com. SDA is the Spirit of Dark Art and that gallery can be found at spiritofdarkart.com. Both groups feature artists that specialize in handmade items and are a must-see!

Last, I’d love to share that I am currently writing a few articles for Jewelry Arts magazine. My first article about making one of my pendants will be out in October. This is a project that I am very excited as well as honored to be doing.

Cuteable: Good for you, Ahna! We look forward to reading your articles, and thank you again for sitting down to talk with Cuteable!