About
Hello friend! I am delighted to have you here. This is the place for those of us who are inspired by history, love artisan & handcrafted wares, and have a timeless sense of style. If you’re like me, I know you see the details - small whimsical moments you’d like to hold joyfully in your heart for all of the days yet to be lived.
10 years ago I started Folkloric. Though, it has been a project in the making since my little hands could craft. And along with those early creations I have been collecting precious little elements to use in these makings- stones, shells, beads, tiny objects fit for a fairy’s abode, and ephemera. Taking all of these parts, combining them with a nostalgic sensibility and love of art, has brought me to this point, now, as the maker behind Folkloric Jewelry.
[Me at my very first show in 2014!]
While my work has changed since the early days, my inspiration has remained consistent. A love of fairytales, mythology, magical moments, and the profound desire to translate these stories into a tangible and wearable expression. The decoupage pieces you see today are a transformation from where the collection began.
During an excruciatingly difficult time in my life, I needed to channel all of the pain productively and into something better for me and the world. At the time, I had a book of Edward Burne-Jones paintings that my eyes would rest on and escape to. The back cover, which featured The Golden Stairs, was torn, and as a collector of ephemera I could not throw it away. With the torn pieces I decided to make something with the images of these ethereal women. Perhaps, it was my way to show myself that something torn and broken could, with love, care and intention, be made beautiful and anew.
The series I made from that ripped book cover is when this artistic journey found its direction. As I further experimented with art and paper, I found people, like me, who resonated with the historical imagery and stories I was drawn to. Women who are timeless, and elegant, who hold whimsey in their hearts with their own complex stories to tell.
The series I made from that ripped book cover is when this artistic journey found its direction. As I further experimented with art and paper, I found people, like me, who resonated with the historical imagery and stories I was drawn to. Women who are timeless, and elegant, who hold whimsey in their hearts with their own complex stories to tell.
[Series from The Golden Stairs, 2018]
Behind all these antique images and sparkly gemstones is me, Elena. A mother, wife, and cat enthusiast. Before I was all of these things, I was a child actor, model, and ballerina! My parents are classical musicians, and that exposure to historical music has influenced my design sensibility. I was the girl listening to Fred Astaire taped from a record on school field trips at 10 years old. An old soul from the very beginning.
Folkloric is for those of us who are timeless, not trendy, and want to bridge the gap between the practicality of what is mainstream and that which is bespoke and expensive. When you wear a piece of Folkloric Jewelry, I hope that you feel like the keeper of your own fairytale, carrying a bit of magic and nostalgia wherever you go.
Here is my invitation to you - click here to find the unique piece that was made for you, without us even having met (yet!).
You can also sign up for the Folkloric Friends Collective and be included in the on-going story - early access to collection drops, casting your vote for upcoming imagery, and staying up-to-date on where Folkloric will be next. Click here to join!
Sending you my sincere gratitude for taking the time to learn more about me. I look forward to getting to know you, too.
Xox, Elena
[Mike, Lily, Elena & Oren.]
Follow Folkloric Jewelry on Instagram at @folkloricjewelry.