We asked Luz how she would describe herself, and her response perfectly illustrates how seriously she takes her work: “I make an effort to finish my daily tasks. In my work, I love to invent new designs with amber. I like to do things well.” Luz was taught how to work with amber by her mother and grandmother, one of the first in the region to make jewelry from amber mined close to their home, it’s been part of her life forever. And as her children play at her feet while she strings necklaces and shapes earrings, it’s easy to see this craft passing on to the next generation.
Luz and Gabriel’s children often play nearby while they work. Photo by Haniel Lopez/Preemptive Love
Gabriel
For more than half his life, Gabriel has been making jewelry. He started when he was 15 years old, after moving to a town thirty minutes from home to attend the nearest high school. There he lived with an uncle, a silversmith, and for two years, Gabriel worked every weekend to pay his room and board. He went on to spend three years with a woodworker, learning how to combine silver, wood, and amber. By the time Gabriel met and married the love of his life, they decided to start their own business, creating jewelry with amber. Gabriel brings every lesson learned in his young life to the jewelry he makes today.
Gabriel uses a variety of tools to shape and create his beautiful jewelry pieces. Photo by Haniel Lopez/Preemptive Love
