Enchanting Conversation with Jewelry Designer Avigail Adam

In gorgeous news, we wanted to share some pretty spectacular images with you. These are all from designer extraordinaire Avigail Adam, who not only creates all manner of enchanted things, from goddess crowns and hair prongs to necklaces and brooches, but also lives with her husband and two sons in an enchanted fairytale home that lies between a river and a forest.

Look:

How beautiful is all of that? You can see more at https://www.avigailadam.com/

Below we asked Avigail a few questions about her enchanted designs and life:

Can you tell us a bit about you and how you began designing jewelry?
I was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel, and jewelry design was always a part of life as far as I can remember. When I went to college, I was strongly leaning towards jewelry design studies but I ended up changing directions and decided to focus on archaeology, with an emphasis on classical times. The mystery of times bygone, especially the treasures that could be discovered in that field, seemed fascinating.

After getting my degree, I decided archaeology might not be my calling after all. So I bought a ticket and took off on what turned out to be a five-year journey around the world. My goal was basically to discover the world while trying to discover myself. After a few long stops in places like Tokyo, NY and LA I decided to move back home to Tel Aviv. It was then and there that I got back to my old hobby. I was craving some nice hair pieces but was not able to find what I envisioned. So, I made some.

There was a little boutique near my home and I became friends with the owner. She suggested I bring some of my handmade hair pieces and let her sell them. The first batch was gone by the end of the day. That was a great confidence boost.

I felt I might be onto something here. So I got on my bicycle and ventured out to find more shops while expanding my line of designs. Things were flowing well. I had about 30+ stores I was working with at the peak of that phase. At the same time I was able to get accepted to a main permanent artist fair, and that’s how it all began.

Can you tell us about some of the materials in your designs?
I love finding new materials to work with to keep things interesting. In the last few years I have been using a lot of dried flowers. I make hair pieces out of them, as well as home decor such as terrariums and hanging wreaths. I find a philosophical meaning in how something that is considered officially dead is still so radiant and beautiful. I also love using fabric flowers, crystals and beads along with the main materials I normally use which are brass molds of flowers and leaves plated with either gold, rose gold or silver. A few years ago I also started a high end line, working with pure gold. It started after getting engaged and designing my own engagement ring and wedding band. I focus on nature inspired rings which make great alternatives for the uncommon bride who is searching for a more personal wedding band.

What else do you love to do?
Besides dreaming, designing and creating jewelry, I also love collecting antiques. The house eventually became so full of my finds that I decided to sell some of them in order to collect more. That’s how I got into dealing and selling antiques. I sell some on my website and some on a specifically designated Etsy shop. I love browsing through antique and vintage markets, on the hunt for the next amazing find. I focus mostly on antique jewelry boxes, vanity sets, mirror trays, brooches, floral vintage dresses, or anything floral and/or Victorian. On top of that, I also enjoy making pottery in the pottery studio my husband built in the basement, cooking vegan food (we’re all vegan here), sewing, painting with watercolors, growing stuff in my garden and dancing with my kids.

What inspires you?
My main sources of inspiration come from nature, plants, flowers, animals, fairy tales, mythology and ancient civilizations, especially ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt. I feel that all those sources come together in my designs. I create goddess jewelry and hair pieces that are meant to empower women and remind them of their true inner beauty, courage and powers. Remind them of their inner goddess. And remind them of our deep connection to nature. All women have a goddess in them. My goal is to bring that goddess out.

And finally, how do you stay enchanted?
First I make sure to create enchantment in my surroundings. Second, the biggest way to stay enchanted in my eyes is to have dreams and make them come true. They can be small easy-to-achieve dreams, like baking something spectacular, or big dreams, like changing careers. Whatever dream it is we’re working on, at the end of the day, our life is in our hands and it’s up to us to manifest them.

I live with my husband and two little boys in our home in New Jersey, surrounded by nature. On one side it faces the Delaware river and on the other side lies a little forest. Both of us are creative entrepreneurs who think outside the box and our home shows it. We created and designed nearly everything here ourselves. My husband Tom owns a recycling company and uses his free time to collect and create art, build cool things, make pottery and work in the garden. He built me my dream studio in what used to be an old attic on one side of the house. The dusty old attic on the other side of the house turned into a beautiful spa full of light and plants.

We’re both inspired by nature and love, finding different creative ways to bring it inside. Just to name one example, the kitchen table has a huge handmade chandelier hanging above it, made out of branches collected in the forest and covered with crystals. To name another example, the kids’ bedroom ceiling is painted like a sky with clouds, and has lots of fiber optic dots all over it, so whenever you turn on the light it looks like lots of tiny little stars shining and glistening.

Our most recent project was building my she-shed in the garden. Our current project is turning our backyard into a fairytale garden, with a herb and vegetable garden, lots and lots of plants and flowers, little sitting corners with hammocks and driftwood garden furniture, a little bridge and a tree house.

I feel blessed to have been able to manifest my dream life into a reality, work in something that I love so much, surround myself with lots of beauty and nature, and constantly find sources of inspiration around me to keep my fire for creation going.

Can you even believe that she-shed?