The pathway of water, the curvature of ancient wooden statues, the human body—in all these abstract forms, Colombia Everett sees a shape that can be traced, printed, assembled, polished, and worn as an ornate piece of jewellery.

Colombia Everett is a material librarian, product designer, and the founder of Studio Agaea—a brand exploring the intersection of digital and traditional craftsmanship through fine silver jewellery pieces.

Studio Agaea's debut collection, Naiads, takes inspiration from the fluid spirit of the water nymphs of ancient Greek mythology. Every Studio Agaea piece is a labour of love, meticulously designed and handcrafted by Colombia Everett herself, the process of which she intentionally lays bare to the end wearer.

We spoke to Colombia about her respect for craftsmanship, developing sustainable practice, and the beauty to be found in "imperfection".

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On craftsmanship

Studio Agaea in three words: Process. Texture. Connection.

Jewellery making is a traditional technical craft that can be enhanced by different design mediums. My design practices are derived from a speculative, multidisciplinary approach. I consider myself a material-first designer, having completed my master’s in material design and working as a material librarian at an architectural firm. For me, having a deep understanding of the materials I am working with enables me to explore and stretch the limits of design with the material.

By approaching design digitally, with 3D rendering, I can experiment with forms and shapes not readily possible with traditional jewellery techniques. The freedom of the tools allows for more risk-taking that explores the limits of possibilities, operating on the edge I can use the 3D printing to evaluate the feasibility of my designs.

My designs are heavily influenced by the process. I actualise them using Blender—a 3D mesh software—and to me, it is like modelling in clay, but with the opportunity for extreme precision. The software imparts on the design process an experimentalism and organic fluidity that is especially similar to clay. Printing the pieces in 3D adds a topographical texture which enhances the fluidity of the pieces. The jewellery forms encourage connection, the open structure exposes the skin allowing the wearers' skin to act as the gems.

On imperfection

I want my pieces to hint at how they were made, when I think of traditional craftsmanship, the identity of the craftsman is evident. It can tell the story of how the piece was made. I associate perfect finishes with mass manufacturing, which of course is fine but I want to celebrate and tell the story of the entire making process, and it's the 'controlled imperfections’ that give my pieces their individuality.

I love the idea of Wabi Sabi, the centering of transience and imperfections in life. I believe perfection is somewhat unnatural and that translating the beauty of nature into these pieces requires an openness to imperfection. The jewellery being imperfect allows them to be one with the wearer, in contrast to perfection that can only exist separate from the person. I want my work to become an element of the wearer.

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On Silver

I have always preferred silver in the jewellery I wear, so my first collection leaned heavily into it. Despite this, I am very open to using gold as I progress with future collections. I find that they convey very different feelings, the silver feeling far more fluid and watery than the gold which made it more suitable for Naiads. Metals are very interesting to work with and are extremely versatile, they can take any form when worked correctly. I love the way the casting can capture the entirety of 3d prints and all the design intricacies.

On influence and inspiration

for its design influences. The softness and abstract structures are translated into fluid curved textures that emulate the female form. I think the female body should be celebrated and I admire how we have interpreted it over and captured its beauty. I wanted to pay homage and create a new interpretation that can also be worn on the female body. I also found inspiration in ancient Minoan wooden statues. The forms of these pieces are simple but emotive and playful.

I would say I’ve subconsciously been influenced to be open to different aesthetics. Direct exposure and immersion [to different cultures] has led me to adopt and build on the elements that surround me—it is like learning a language, you can only truly understand if you are surrounded constantly, and then slowly one's accent changes to become like those around you.

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On sustainability

Sustainability has always been a driving force in my design principles and played a major part in my studies. However, I am aware that not all elements are perfect. I am investigating alternative filaments that can be used for pre-casting prints, but I use recycled silver for my pieces and this contributes to a circular economy and ensures the silver finds a new purpose. Ultimately though jewellery is designed to last, and can be passed on to another home down the line.

On the future

Jewellery is just one aspect of design that I want to explore. I think of Studio Agaea as a design studio that currently uses jewellery as its primary design vehicle. I hope to expand to working on product and furniture design within the high-end/luxury market, using new materials that have zero impact on the environment.

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Learn more about Studio Agaea on their website and discover upcoming collections on Instagram.