The story of Mihaela, a Chemical Engineer turned handmade artist
Life is a sum of small acts of serendipity
Last winter, mid-December, I bought myself a really pretty pair of handmade earrings. However, these are not just any earrings, these are wearing a beautiful story, a story that reminds me to always stay close to my dreams, to believe in them against all odds and to love every step, no matter how tough.
Zooming out of that evening in December, I remember it was not the brightest period of my life. I was drowning in a mixture of frustration and brief moments of joy. Work was like a mountain rock sitting on my head, I was down-performing, I lacked motivation from almost every point of view. Beyond work, my personal life was not blooming either. I guess I had to learn some lessons in that area too before I could get back on my feet again.
Even this project had a big break in its development. Couldnāt word out the things that kept inspiring me, which was extremely hurtful to my self-appreciation. In short, those were some shitty times, my friend.
Nothing is random.
Mihaela Epure, AmoResin Handmade Creations
Until that evening in December. It was the 19th of December, also known as the beginning of pre-Christmas chaos. The mall is always loud and noisy during this period, but I had to go find some presents. There was some Christmas fair in the mallās lobby, where I was literally wandering like a drunken goose. I knew what I had to buy, but I honestly lacked every direction. So I let my feet carry me around for a bit and right after I decided I was gonna head home in not so much of a glory, my eyes fell onto these astonishingly colorful jewels. I shyly approached. I wasnāt intending to buy anything, so I assured the lady at the stand that Iām just looking around.
She was so sweet and kind, though. We started chatting for a bit and she began telling me her story, with eyes so bright and smile so large, I couldāve collapsed in tears in that instant. She sounded so passionate about her little pieces of jewelry, I couldnāt help but keep asking her questions and dig deeper into her story and the art of creating earrings, necklaces, bracelets and whatnot out of…resin. It was like I was feeding my own inner creative, in the hopes that this could wake that side of me up, which was surprisingly working.
Reality is just your perception of it and you can change it anytime
Mihaela is a Chemical Engineer. By the time we met, she had just returned home, to Romania, after living for I donāt remember how many years in Italy. She discovered this passion of hers in her spare time there, away from home. After a while, she decided to leave everything she had in Italy, come back home and start working on her passion.
She put some of her chemical engineering knowledge into practice, experimenting the wonder of resin and color pigments, using different shapes. Mihaela talks with such joy and excitement about how the pigment drops transform the piece of jewelry and how it mixes with the resin, that it creates a constant sweet suspense about the final product. Like in those times when you put it all in and just wait to be awed by the result. š
You give, you receive. You receive, you give. And so on.
She opened up about how she thought she should find a brand name, a logo, start a Facebook page to put out her collections and sign up to every decent handmade fair around to showcase her works. I could instantly feel her passion and determination, which made me think that she would be a perfect match for this work project I was being a part of, that involves people in an entrepreneurship program and a business plan contest, which would offer ~ 33 000 ā¬ funding to the best 60 business plans.
Pressing fast forward, she is now a graduate of the entrepreneurship program and one of the 60 businesses that will receive the funding. I canāt even begin to tell you how happy I am for her, mostly because, as she recently said to me, we probably wouldnāt be here now, talking about this, if we hadnāt met that evening in December. āNothing is randomā. I am beyond grateful for meeting her and proud to be wearing her soulfully made jewelry, telling everyone about where I got them from. š Ā
The fact that she dedicated her time to pursue her new found passion is something that inspired me in the first place when I started Creative Humans. This project is about people like Mihaela, looking for and listening to that inner voice thatās telling them to break the ordinary and thrive in their unexplored creativity. Beyond profession, beyond safe borders.
Soon, Iāll be sharing an exclusive interview with Mihaela, letting her tell her story through her own words. Until then, you can check her brandās Facebook page, AmoResin Handmade Creations.
Keep close and donāt ever forget to dream out loud š
