Featured Seller: The Angry Weather Jewelry

Etsy.com handmade and vintage goods
TheAngryWeather

Story by TheAngryWeather

Published on July 01, 2011 in Shop

Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Iveth Morales and I’m the mind, hands, and heart behind The Angry Weather Jewelry. Though I’ve been living in Montreal, Canada for the last six years, I moved from Mexico when Alex, my boyfriend, was offered a job here. We didn’t want to be apart so we decided to get married and venture together to this beautiful country. We have been happily married since then and now have an awesome little daughter named Amelia.

I love music, books, movies, travel and nature. I enjoy breezy summer afternoons at the park with my little one and music festivals. I also love fabric and enjoy making stuffed animals for my girl. Maybe someday I’ll open an Etsy shop to sell my stuffed toys when I’ve mastered the art of sewing!

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I stay at home with my little girl and spend most of my day running after her. I have a blog where I love to write about new jewelry projects, artists I admire, and my daily life. I enjoy photography and take my camera with me almost everywhere; I love to make field trips to every pâtisserie in my neighborhood. Also, I take jewelry classes once a week so I can continue to learn new techniques to apply to my work.

What would be the title of your memoir? Why?
It will sound cheesy, but I’d call it Home is Where the Heart Is because my life has been marked by this constant migration, even inside Mexico. Every time I moved, from city to city, I went through a series of important changes that have shaped my life. Still, I can say that I hardly ever feel longing for the places I used to live. But I’ve always found that home is where your loved ones are; it’s where the things that make you exited to wake up in the morning reside.

How would you describe your creative process?
Most of my ideas come out of the blue. I can be reading a book, cooking, or just walking around and then they hit me. So I just take my sketchbook and start to draw. When it comes to working on a piece, I start drawing the design, cutting shapes, sawing, filing, hammering, soldering, cleaning, polishing and so on until the piece is completed. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so it can be a long process.

If you could peek inside the studio of any artist, designer or craftsman (dead or alive), who would it be?
I’d love to visit Frida Khalo‘s studio — not just take a peek inside but go back in time and spend the whole day in there. Just imagine all the wonderful treasures to admire!

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
A sun shaped, embroidered pillow my grandma made. She actually made it for one of my cousins but I loved it so much that my cousin gave it to me as a present. I also cherish an illustration my dad made. It’s a drawing of different faces expressing the emotions he felt when he knew he was going to be a father.

Where does your inspiration come from?
I’m inspired by nature, music, simple shapes, illustration and everyday objects, even if it’s just because I love their shapes or textures.

What does handmade mean to you?
Handmade is something that comes directly from your heart and dreams. It is made with care, passion and, hopefully, love.

Who has been most influential in your craft?
In terms of my jewelry, my home in Canada is very influential. I take inspiration from its beautiful landscapes and wild weather. Before I moved to Canada, I was making bead and wire jewelry and I loved it. Then we moved to Montreal and I came across this jewelry school, Visual Arts Centre, where I got to learn metalsmithing and a whole universe opened in front of my eyes. Finally, I had found my medium! Since then I’ve gotten to know incredible jewelery teachers and students (like my dear friend Marie from MarKhed Designs) that have influenced and inspired me in so many ways.

When did you know you were an artist/maker?
I come from a family where things like music and handmade stuff are important parts of everyday life. I definitely knew from a very young age that creating was an empowering tool for me. But I think the realization came from watching one of my grandmothers work. She used to make fabric dolls and little doll dresses for me and my cousins. Her specialty is embroidery, and when we were kids she made colorful, embroidered pillow cases with any theme you could fancy. Watching her working with so much love was a huge inspiration. It made me aware that I had this power to transform my ideas into something tangible.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?
I clean and organize. I can be such a messy person but I love being organized at the same time. So when I start to feel stuck, I organize my tools, my supplies and clean here and there. It usually works, but it the case it doesn’t, I go outside for a walk, take photos, eat something yummy and then come back home to watch a movie and forget about work for the day.

Where would you like to be in ten years?
I’ve never been the kind of person who makes plans for the future (for better or worse), but I do dream a lot and I’ve discovered that when mixed with the right ingredients, those silly dreams turn to reality. So, when think of the future, I see my family healthy and happy and I see myself in a big, bright studio of my own, full of windows and jewelry making tools and machines, creating fantastic things and making a living from my work. Just over a year ago, when I opened my Etsy shop, I was dreaming of becoming a featured seller one day. Here I am.

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