Jimena Bolaños Joyería

Costa Rican jewelry designer Jimena Bolaños is a unique artist with pieces that truly stand on their own. Unlike many artists, Jimena is able to create many (seven!!) collections with highly contrasting styles, that maintain similar connecting aesthetics.

While beginning in graphic design, she quickly became absorbed in silversmithing and has not stopped since! The elegant designer’s passion and skill had early roots though- from a young age she was a maker, creating dresses for her cousin out of construction paper and hanging out with her friend at her friend’s mother’s creative shop.  With the apple not falling far from the tree, the women in Jimena’s family naturally have an attachment and love for jewelry as well that she has not only carried, but championed – by making one of a kind pieces with soul and funky elegance, while always looking for gems that evoke emotions in her search for material.

                                                   

I’m interested in jewelry as anthropological objects as symbols of our beliefs and experiences, as amulets, and a sense of belonging, which makes them valuable, regardless of the material they are made…

The creation process is different with each piece. Sometimes, it all starts with a drawing …sometimes, I get ideas when I’m working and the material guides me in some way to the next idea…

Her imagination and curiosity are vividly seen as she explores and experiments with patterns, textures and asymmetry through her work. It’s no surprise that she loves to travel, as her use of materials is varied and nuanced – she uses a unique variety and casually brings stone, bronze, silver, gold, textiles, highly textured threads and gemstones together.

Jimena avidly uses one of my favorite approaches to actually producing her works: she jumps right into it! She experiments in a way that allows the materials and her experience with them to  – with her creative mind and hands catching up to one another to create a unique piece.

We’re looking forward to seeing what Jimena creates next!

 

Images courtesy of Jimena Bolaños.