Erika Laureano PNW Jewelry Designer

  Erika Laureano crafts distinctive statement jewels for the woman who appreciates bold and artsy sensuality. Using copper, sterling silver, gold, and brass, Erika sculpts jewels inspired by Roman and modern industrial architecture.  

Erika Laureano Jewelry

Erika focuses her keen eye on texture and color. Recycled 24k gold, hand forged and hammered to look like genuine leather. Embossed green patina brass suggests the shed skin of a snake. Cobblestone streets embossed onto bracelets, industrial ironworks represented in wrist cuffs. Coiled, twisted, hammered, and seeded metal adorning finger rings, earrings, and statement necklaces. Then upon these highly textured backgrounds, she experiments with customized patinas and the oil paints of her youth. A final resin cast literally seals the deal. Upon close inspection, Erika Laureano designs feature miniature found objects- glass beads, plastic micro balls, bronze cast coral, and more. These hidden wonders, married with exquisite gemstone selections, create a bold and uncommon design aesthetic worthy of the eclectic Pacific Northwest.

An Interview with Erika Laureano

I had the opportunity to interview Erika about her jewelry. Here is what she shared with me:

EG: Which of your pieces is your favorite, and why?

EL: My favorite pieces are ones that have been repurposed from work that has not sold. I often will take an older piece and I will cut it into pieces and then incorporate them into new works. I once took an enormous textured brass cuff and turned it into 15 new pieces of work: new cuffs, earrings, necklaces, which all sold. This inspires me to push my creative mind further, to ask what the texture and color would look like in a new form.

EG: What are your favorite decorative objects that you keep in your studio?

EL: My studio store is cluttered with little relics from all over the world, from all decades of my life. I have a little wooden car and a Fisher Price frowny-faced figurine from my childhood. I have prints of Caravaggio from my 20s when I lived in Italy. I have lots of enameled fold formed pieces and a collection of other contemporary jewelry artists' earrings. Lots of satisfaction for the eyes.

EG: How do they influence or inspire you as you work?

EL: They are rich in culture and the arts. This is something that is very important for my creative drive. I often visit museums and galleries. And recently, proudly became a member at SAM . I love to see what other artists from around the globe are creating and where their minds pick up influence to create what they create.

EG: Who is your favorite artist, and why?

EL: So many! But to name a couple I would have to say Georgia O'Keeffe and Caravagio. They both have distinctive styles that defined the era they lived in. Georgia has the subtle, soft lines, filled with pastel colors all that were indicative of her surroundings. Caravaggio, a 16th century master, was famous for capturing the distinctive details of light in a dark background. Both artists very romantic and alluring, drawing the eye in closer to try and understand how they created their glorious masterpieces.

EG: What are your favorite creativity rituals that prepare you to craft your jewels?

EL: Oh, I wish I could say there are such things, but honestly for me it is: #1- sleep and #2 waking up knowing I have a job to do. I am super excited to wake up in the morning knowing that I have orders to send out, custom work to complete, and a store to open on time (or at least close to opening time). I am fortunate to do what I love for a living and to be so busy I don't have time to worry or sweat the small stuff! Also, a free afternoon or evening to work as late as I wish is always a great way for me to get creative!

EG: Thank you, Erika, for sharing so openly about your passion and your work.

Visit Erika Laureano Design

Of course, a quick click takes you to Erika's website. However, if you live in the Pacific Northwest, I highly recommend visiting her design showroom in North Bend. Erika loves to interact in person with her customers. They light up her day, especially when they ask about her history, her creative drive, and her design process. If you do get a chance to stop by, would you please tell her hi from Angela at EraGem? Thanks! ~Angela Magnotti Andrews