Handmade Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings from Bali, "Downtown"

"My name is Dessy Kumala and I was born in a small village in Western Bali in 1986. People say I am easy-going, loyal and friendly. I grew up in a place known for its rice fields beside the ocean, its cattle farms, rivers, and the Bali Barat National Park.

"I had a wonderful childhood and love the great outdoors. My family was close and practiced daily rituals of creating offerings for our family temple by cutting coconut palm leaves into intricate designs. I enjoyed seeing my offerings blown by the breezes in our temple courtyard.

"I believe people have a lot of potential in our hands, expressed through the work of our fingers. I noticed this from watching my grandmother, mother and nieces skillfully weaving a canang sari, which is an offering to the deities of our family temples. I was amazed by how gifted they were in creating many different offerings in a variety of designs and colors. I realized these skills could be applied to other crafts like jewelry and other accessories.

"I was determined to pursue my studies and became a certified midwife practitioner. I was a lecturer in the Bali Institute of Public Health from 2011 until 2015.

"As a lecturer, I was able to help my sister-in-law, who designs and works with silver artisans. This freelance work gave me the freedom to design and boosted my self-confidence. My passion for design helped me decide to become a jewelry designer. I gradually became more focused on this art. I was happy whenever my colleagues liked my designs.

"My husband supported me and gave me the encouragement to pursue this craft. As a mother of three daughters, it has been a huge responsibility to raise them to be good people with great attitudes and a willingness to pass on our Balinese culture. I've been an independent person since I was a child. My goal is to be financially independent to provide for myself and my children.

"I began creating silver jewelry because I love beautiful jewelry and was interested in designing it. Luckily, one of my relatives taught me how to craft silver jewelry. I learned that creating designs is the most challenging part. Even though I don’t have a background in art and design, I am learning by creating.

"The best part of this craft is when my colleagues and clients love and appreciate my work. I work along with three helpers. I use silver, gemstones and leather, which are are recyclable.

"I've been creating silver since 2015 and I hope to introduce my designs to people around the world."