Emiko Oye
San Francisco designer Emiko Oye creates bold and colorful jewelry from repurposed LEGO® and precious metals – both ready-to-wear through her brand emiko o reware, and one-of-a-kind conceptual pieces. Her artwork is exhibited nationwide and internationally, and is in private and public collections such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Museum of Contemporary Craft. She has been a presenter for the Society of North American Goldsmiths, Oakland Museum of California and the Exploratorium, and served as President for the Metal Arts Guild San Francisco. emiko has been featured in 21st Century Jewelry, On Jewellery, American Craft, Smithsonian Magazine, Metalsmith, ReadyMade, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Website: emikooreware.com
Instagram: @emikooreware
Twitter: @emikooreware
Facebook: Emiko Oye
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Being in a place where I feel grounded and inspired, where there is a palpable sense of openness and genuine care within the community.
Which living person do you most admire?
Ana Forrest, creatrix of Forrest Yoga
What is your greatest extravagance?
Our new VW GTI equipped with Driver Assistance
What is your current state of mind?
Wide open for opportunities
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Perfection
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Exactly!
Which talent would you most like to have?
Musical for sure: compose inspiring music with the ability to transcribe a song after hearing it only a few times; sing like Adele.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Be even Bolder
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My artwork being recognized and appreciated across generations of craftspeople
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Super Corgi JoJo - he must be the happiest living creature I've ever seen (check out his IG)
Where would you most like to live?
My heart belongs to San Francisco, but I wouldn't mind living in Healdsburg, CA or Asheville, NC
What is your most treasured possession?
My rough-cut, honkin' aquamarine ring by Margoni that I picked out in a local jewelry store hours after my husband proposed on our balcony in Folengandros, Greece.
What is your favorite occupation?
Working magic with my hands, both as a Maker and a Yoga teacher
What is your most marked characteristic?
Enthusiasm for what I love
What do you most value in your friends?
Authenticity and Being Present
Who are your favorite writers?
I get completely immersed in reading biographies by well-known creatives who are passionate for what they put forth in the world
Who are your heroes in real life?
Innovative artists such as Louise Nevelson, Georgia O'Keefe, Elsa Schiaparelli, Julie Taymor, David Bowie, Moby, Kiff Slemmons. Forrest Yoga Guardians Kiki Lovelace and Colleen Millen.
What is it that you most dislike?
Being blatantly lied to
What is your motto?
Do What You Love, The Rest Just Comes