The Story of YanaYa Jewelry
Hey there, I’m Yana Yakuba, Seattle-based jewelry designer and author of YanaYa jewelry brand.
Everything you buy in my store is designed and handcrafted by me. This is a small woman owned business that helps me support my family and to fulfill my desire to create beautiful things.
My passion for creating jewelry began in childhood when I would craft beaded bracelets for myself and my friends.
Upon moving to the USA, I experimented with various materials including polymer clay, epoxy resin, beads, stones, and wire. However, it was during a month-long vacation with my family in Hawaii that I found inspiration for working with wire.
The restorative experience left me feeling energized and brimming with ideas. With a deep love for the sea and beaches, I have always enjoyed collecting stones, shells, and glass.
This particular vacation was no different, and I cherished the moments spent with my children gathering these natural treasures.
Bringing them home, I began to transform these inspirations into tangible creations.
My journey with wirework led me to experiment with various styles and designs, ranging from oriental curls and intricate bohemian jewelry to modern, urban, geometric pieces.
Over time, I have developed a unique style characterized by minimalistic designs crafted from gold-filled and sterling silver wire adorned with natural gemstones, pearls, and crystals.
While I do not solder jewelry, I continually seek out interesting and unconventional shapes, focusing on exploring natural textures and forms.
14 years ago my husband, a one year old son and I arrived in Washington state and I immediately fell in love with local nature. Always green rainforests, coniferous forests that change color in the fall, harsh ocean, huge mountains with snowy peaks – everything reminded me about fairy tales I’ve heard being a small kid.
Now a mother of three sons, I love to spend family time outdoor exploring nature treasures of our beautiful state. And Pacific Northwest nature become an infinite source for inspiration. I love to combine local gems and even pebbles with gold-filled wire, choosing colors and shapes that reflects nature shapes.
Abstract art has also been a significant source of inspiration for me. Similar to abstract artists, I use textures, colors, and lines to express my emotions. Fresh styles and jewelry designs inspired by the Pacific Northwest are combined with the refined taste, style, and mentality of Europe, my place of origin.
Through my work, I aim to forge genuine individual connections.
Thus, I position myself as a personal jewelry designer, prioritizing aspects such as personal color type, facial characteristics, body consultation, preferred wardrobe colors, personal history and values, psycho-emotional needs, and stone choices tailored to individual personalities.