Born and raised in Ukraine I was deeply influenced by the mysticism of nature. I grew up with stories in which inanimate objects would often come alive by way of transformation and magic, thus every object I possessed had a special meaning. 

As an artist and photographer I traveled the world. Curious of all things ceremonial and metaphysical. I often brought  home stones and crystals indigenous to places I visited. Their raw, unique beauty compelled me to seek out ways I could make them into meaningful objects one could use to adorn with. I amassed a hand-picked collection and learned about their metaphysical properties and shamanic and healing uses. Experimenting with several mediums, in time, I discovered a unique epoxy compound and developed ways to apply it, free-hand molding, sculpting, carving and shaping it around the stones, incorporating gold and silver dust, gold leaf, patinas, resin, and rare vintage chains.

Each piece is not premeditated but inspired and dictated by the energy and character of the stone. I do not make design drawings and work intuitively as the final creation emerges slowly through what appears to be a process of collaboration with nature. I am fascinated by the uniqueness of the stones; each comes from some place in the world, is of a particular age, possessing its own character, story and energy within, just each and everyone of us.

Because the volume of my production has grown since I first began collecting stones, I now often source the stones at gem shows, working with small sustainable mines from around the globe. Still, every stone is hand-picked by me. Vintage chains, some dating back to the 30s, are nickel-free, unique in their craftsmanship and sourced in New York. The resin used as a finish is jewelry-grade and hypoallergenic. 

Armed With Ardor is wearable art. Each creation has a title which serves as a symbol for the properties of a stone it incorporates. No piece is ever the same, even if they are part of a collection with the same name, which is why some pieces are numbered. 

Armed With Ardor draws inspiration from the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, celebrating transformation, change and imperfection. It is a meditation on the raw and the refined, time, form and essence, hard angles and fluidity, and a dialogue between feminine and masculine, stellar and earthly, the inner and the outer. Armed With Ardor is a collection of symbols, objects for incantation of rituals and memories, and facilitators of inspiration and discovery, grounding and guidance, protection and healing.

Despite the fact that the mediums of jewelry and photography are quite distant, I view Armed With Ardor as an extension of my work as a visual artist and believe that one informs the other by way of contemplation on the mysteries of the natural world, and deepening of instinct and connectivity.

To view my photography work please visit elenalyakir.com

Elena Lyakir

Founder/Artist/Creator