Anna Orska regularly travels to near and far corners of the world to find the essence of local craftsmanship and interpret it according to her own sensibilities. In search of inspiration and rare, unique materials and techniques, the artist chooses places renowned for their high-quality handicrafts, often not related to jewelry-making. In places with a multi-generational, artisanal tradition, she looks for masters in their fields, ready to share their knowledge and skills. So far, this has allowed the designer to draw on the craftsmanship of Nepalese jewelers, Indonesian and Mexican sculptors, Peruvian weavers and Vietnamese lacquer masters. Orska also explores Polish craftsmanship and our country's characteristic raw materials, adapting them to jewelry forms. The result of these adventures is a modern, geometric collection made of amber polished in Pomeranian workshops or jewelry with crystal elements created at the Karkonosze-based Huta Julia, Poland's last crystal glass factory.
Metalwork
Anna Orska wrote another chapter of her travel story in Morocco. Stunning in color and very diverse, Marrakech tempted her with a wide range of unique art techniques, deeply rooted in Maghreb culture. It took her as many as five trips to delve into the secrets of the crafts. During her travels, the designer admired gebs (decorative plaster wall ornaments) and zellij (hand-cut ceramic mosaics), tried wood carving, and visited the workshops of weavers and fabric dyers. However, she was most impressed by metalwork workshops, where lamps with intricate openwork structures are created. Anna Orska decided to translate this non-jewelry craft into the language of jewelry.
read moreCrystal glass
In the last century, glass factories were thriving in the Karkonosze Mountains, making the region the main crystal glass center in Poland. Over time, however, glassmaking traditions began to die out. To this day, only one place remains to carry the history of this craft in the region: Huta Julia (Julia Glassworks). For the past few months, the country's last crystal glass factory has become the studio of Anna Orska, a jewelry designer who visits workshops around the world in search of rare, dying crafts. The heritage of the Piechowice designers inspired the ORSKA brand to engage in a dialogue with the tradition of glasswork.
read moreAmber
Amber is a symbol of the Polish coast. For years it has also attracted attention abroad. In a journey to the Pomeranian workshops, Anna Orska redefines it. In artistic jewelry, the designer juxtaposes organic material with material that was created from marine waste. In modern forms she sets amber created by nature and synthetic stone created by man.
read moreFabric
High up in the Andes, in the heart of Peru, thousands of metres of thread are spun each day. Whole village communities gather to work together and pass their skills on to new generations. Each hand-crafted item is the weaver's personal tale, the manifestation of his or her unique life experience and the story of a community. Spellbound by the communal spirit of the Andes, Anna Orska decided to add her own chapter to these incredible stories.
read moreAlebrijes scuptures
Mexico. The name itself evokes a multitude of connotations – sunny skies, beaches, deserts, the famous Mexican temperament or Aztec culture. There are plenty of possibilities, but one thing is certain – a country with so many colours will leave no-one indifferent. This hot-blooded, vibrant culture has shaped an equally energetic art scene, which seduced Anna Orska and urged her to go there to look for inspiration for her new jewelry collection.
read moreLacquer and pearls
The destination was no accident – Halong bay is a picturesque place where tree-covered mountains rise straight out of the emerald water. The sea hides much more than just rocks – the bay is famous for its pearl farms. Because fishing for pearls turned out to be impossible, the designer had to rethink both her trip and the idea for the Vietnamese collection.
read moreBalinese sculptures
Indonesia is considered one of the world's capitals of handicrafts. Local traditions were born even before Christ, thanks to Chinese, Indo-Chinese, Muslim and Hindu influences. The original bronze creations, decorative textiles and woven fabrics, silver and gold jewelry are a source of delight. But designer Anna Oska, settling on a small family farm near Ubud on the island of Bali, had a very different technique in mind.
read moreRepoussé silver
Visiting the Himalayas is neither easy nor safe. However, after a thirty-hour journey by various means of transportation, Anna Orska finally managed to reach the small village of Pharping, near Kathmandu. The designer settled in a Buddhist monastery and opened a temporary jewelry workshop. However, before the jewelry pieces were made, the designer, accompanied by a master, had to meet with many people.
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