Firefly

The amazing natural world that surrounds the artisans creating Firefly jewelry provides the inspiration for these truly exceptional and immensely colorful, works of art.

That natural beauty, through the creative genius of Juan Carlos Chavajay, and skill of the Indigenous Mayan population of Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, has been transformed and shared with us all. They are motivated by the beauty of the sun, revealing the many-hued shades of color from distant Guatemalan volcanos, combined with the brilliance of incredibly delightful hummingbirds, to the dazzling effect of the sun on Lake Atitlan, the sub-tropical vegetation, and all highlighted by the vast variety of floral shapes that surround their Guatemalan studio.

Their workshop in Guatemala provides employment and training, in comfortable working conditions, with fair wages to the indigenous people of Santiago Atitlan. Firefly employs local artisans, building upon their historically developed embroidery and weaving techniques.  Traditionally, the women have mastered weaving on the “backstrap” loom, and the men have mastered the foot loom for the making of fishing nets. Together, they have adapted these traditional skills to the making of jewelry. Their workshop is spacious and filled with skylights and windows; every artisan has her/his own worktable, in a structure built around a plant and flower filled courtyard.  All these elements have combined to produce a synergy that contributes to the brilliance of the Firefly designs.