Ofrenda Jewelry, sustainable & handmade

I cannot say, like many others, that “I knew I would be a jeweler all my life.” Life, in its own funny and sometimes unexpected ways, put jewelry along the way, and as soon as it came into my path, something inside me instantly clicked and felt right.

Jewelry showed up at a career crossroads, where a desk job felt hollow, and my artistic inclinations were vying for attention. I understood that there was no going back. In spite of my trepidation regarding change, my creative self had risen to the surface, once and for all. After many years working a desk job, the spiritual reawakening to my creative abilities was … like being born again.

Jewelry arrived at my life thanks to two simultaneous but different events.

First, I hit a critical moment in my international development career because of circumstances out of my control, and second, my mother sent me by mail a huge box full of beads that we had collected since I was a little girl from all the beaches that we traveled to. I hurriedly started doing some beaded necklaces and selling them to my workmates (which worked out surprisingly well!).

A few months later, I came across Mohs Jewelry School in Bogotá, Colombia; it just appeared on my way home one day. It was the perfect chance to build upon my beading and dive into handmade jewelry and metalsmithing.

Two years later, I found myself pursuing a Jewelry Associate Degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in the heart of New York City. That two-year “sabbatical” learning jewelry at FIT was the best decision!

It's now been 15 years of fascinating work in different aspects of this wonderful industry. After FIT, I found myself immersed in New York’s jewelry scene, first helping market and sell a wholesale line of fine jewelry in a small business (import/export), later working in a high-end retail jewelry store’s marketing and ecommerce presence and also working with trade associations in communications, branding, and cause-marketing.

Interestingly, my previous professional experience and passion for social development have been reignited thanks to the awakening of issues about making our trade more socially aware, responsible, and sustainable. In tandem with my personal work with Ofrenda Jewelry, I have the privilege of helping a nonprofit fulfill its mission to protect the Amazon rainforest and the ancestral Indigenous communities from destructive gold-mining practices.

This intersection of jewelry, social development, and sustainability in my professional path has been the greatest blessing. It goes hand-in-hand with Ofrenda’s ethos of creating unique jewelry inspired by ancient symbols and universal archetypes, shamanism, the wisdom of nature, and valuing life as sacred.

Brand Statement

Through Ofrenda Jewelry, I want to help people reconnect with their hearts by seeking wisdom from ancient principles and inspiration from the natural world.

I hope to create jewelry that empowers your inner strength, inspires personal growth, and moves you towards your mission. By focusing on the wonders of nature and humanity’s cultural traditions, Ofrenda Jewelry cultivates an ever-deepening relationship with the mysteries of life by means of jewelry, the most ancient form of adornment.

Mythology, archetypes, primitive symbols, and ancient civilizations are what I draw inspiration from. I believe prehistoric sculptures, cave marks, Neolithic pottery and figurines, and primitivism in all its forms tell us something important about ourselves. It informs our present about how humans once venerated the life-giving powers of the universe and how they recognized their oneness with all of nature. They help us remember we are all part of a complex and interconnected life system.

My jewelry is also influenced by the rich array of symbols from nature found in these ancient civilizations. These symbols range from life-sustaining elements like water and plants depicted in geometric patterns to realistic, lifelike renditions of everyday objects, all the way to highly stylized and abstract images from nature.

The idea is not to replicate these artifacts but to explore design elements, examine visual relationships, and break down the mechanics of design into pieces of jewelry.

I seek to understand these ancient elements as a source of inspiration to help us unravel the spirituality of our ancestors and use it in our daily lives. These patterns, shapes, and forms give us clues to understanding the universe, our place in it, and how we can tap into timeless principles to live a more fulfilling life.

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakens." C. Jung

Designer Bio

Cecilia, founder and designer of Ofrenda Jewelry, is a Jewelry Design graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) with a previous degree in Architecture from her native Colombia. She discovered her passion for jewelry while beading global-inspired necklaces for former colleagues; she once sold 30 pieces in a single afternoon!

Her journey into the world of jewelry started at a professional dilemma, where her creative past beckoned her to pursue jewelry as a way to express herself and reconnect with art. She was inspired by traditional global jewelry, with its deep connection with mysticism and transcendence. Fast-forward 10 years, and her love of primitivism and ethnographic art still prevails. She also admires the work about myths of Joseph Campbell, Jungian books about archetypes, prehistoric symbols, and humanity’s mystical traditions.

With close to a decade of experience working in the jewelry industry, Cecilia brings to her work design skill and ethical interests. Before starting her jewelry career, Cecilia worked in social development projects promoting social protection, disaster relief, and livelihood opportunities. She’s a member of the Women’s Jewelry Association and Ethical Metalsmiths as well as being a Fairmined licensed brand.

When she isn’t going for walks, spending too much time watching documentaries, taking art courses, procrastinating about exercising, or buried in books, she’s likely researching design elements derived from nature.

Responsible Sourcing Practices

At Ofrenda Jewelry, I strive to reach the highest standards in responsible sourcing practices. This is a journey of continuous improvement towards ethics and transparency in the sourcing of materials and the making of my jewelry in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

I am taking small steps and will continue to raise the bar for Ofrenda Jewelry as time goes by.

Ofrenda Jewelry is guided by the following principles:

• INTEGRITY and TRANSPARENCY — We promise to lead an honorable business and be honest about the materials we use while disclosing publicly as much information as we have available.
• COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT — Our commitment and what gets us most excited is to work with artisans and mining communities to support their efforts and help provide fulfilling livelihoods.
• NATURE STEWARDSHIP — We strive to source our materials with the least harmful impact on the environment, understanding the limitations of being part of an extractive industry.