Amanda Leija

My hero piece is titled "Vines". It is meant to represent the sustainable part of the plant is truly the stems and vines. They hold everything together and make sure nutrients get to the right areas. They also live through the coldest winters and the hottest summers as their roots run deep. Somehow the structure and lifeline had been overlooked in order to preserve the perspective of the perfect petaled flower. I have had an avid interest in design, functionality, and representation of jewelry and other wearable art for the last year. My journey truly started when I began my small business Leija Handmade and opened myself to many different kinds of design, fabrication processes, and mediums. I enrolled at AAU in the summer of 2022 as a student of the Jewelry and Metal Arts program and began the climb. I have learned the art of patience and intention with every action accompanied by consideration of possible consequences. Jewelry making has taught me calmness in anger and anger is good. If you are angry with the outcome of a fabrication it means you truly cared for the outcome and now you are aware of how to refine those errors in the future.