Inside Fairina Cheng's Etsy Shop

Tell me about you and your Etsy shop.


People that make things with their hands amaze me. But I never thought that I’d be one of them. My fascination with jewellery design started unexpectedly. First with a thought, then a short course, and a growing sense of realization. A week later, I was looking at jewellery design as a career.


I opened my Etsy shop, Fairina Cheng [Contemporary Jewellery], in April this year and am working hard to fill it with beautiful things. My jewellery combines the conceptual,design-oriented approach gained from my Diploma in Jewellery and Object Design with the practical hand skills obtained from an ongoing course in Jewellery Manufacture. The result is contemporary, high quality jewellery with a distinctly unique aesthetic.


What does “handmade” mean for you?


Being part of a “handmade” community like Etsy means having that special connection with your work, as well as the people who own it. It’s not often that you go into a shop and buy something directly from the person who made it. Even less so the person who packaged,
photographed, promoted, designed, developed and created it.


A lot of time and dedication goes into bringing each piece to life. My jewellery is made in small runs, one-off or made-to-order and I think of each item as having its own special character – ‘that’s the one that’s travelling to Jess in New York’ or ‘that’s the one I’m making for Michael’s secret proposal’ (names changed of course)! This just isn’t something that can be matched with mass produced pieces.


What is your most recent project?


This year, I was selected for a three-month graduate residency program at SquarePeg Studios in Newtown, Sydney. This has given me a fantastic opportunity to develop a new,unique collection that explores stainless steel mesh as a material in jewellery. My work during this period will explore colour, texture and the fabric-like qualities of stainless steel mesh, with a new collection to be launched in September 2012.


In addition to the residency, I have plenty of new designs that are just waiting to be brought into reality. There are also some upcoming retail and exhibition opportunities that I am very
excited about! My Facebook page for all things jewellery is the go-to place for the latest news.


2012 has been busy, but it’s feeling like it’ll be a good year!


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Thank you Fairina!