Born and raised in Ukraine, I was influenced by the mystical elements that were woven into the rich tapestry of my culture's heritage. The enigmatic and ethereal, often veiled in layers of symbolism and metaphor, ignited a creative spark within me that would ultimately shape and define my artistic expression.
Driven by curiosity about ceremonial and metaphysical practices, my travels as an artist and photographer led me to collect indigenous stones and crystals from around the world. Their raw beauty inspired me to transform them into wearable art. I amassed a hand-picked collection, investigating their metaphysical properties and shamanic and healing uses. Through experimentation, I discovered a unique epoxy compound, which I shaped and molded freehand around the stones, incorporating elements like gold and silver dust, gold leaf, patinas, resin, and rare vintage chains.
Each piece is not premeditated but inspired by the energy and character of its constituent stone and is as unique as its wearer. I work intuitively, allowing the final creation to emerge slowly through a collaborative process with nature.
Armed With Ardor is wearable art. Each creation has a title symbolizing the stone’s properties. No two pieces are ever alike, even within collections sharing the same name, which is why some are numbered.
The collection is a celebration of transformation, change, and the ephemeral nature of all things. It is a contemplation on contrasts: the raw and the refined, time and essence, defined form and fluidity, igniting a discourse between feminine and masculine, celestial and earthly, and the internal and external realms.
The collection comprises symbols and talismans, which serve as objects for the invocation of rituals and facilitators of enchantment, harmony and intrigue.
Despite the fact that the mediums of jewelry and photography are quite distinct, 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.
Elena Lyakir
Founder/Artist/Creator