Lapis Lazuli Long Link Necklace from Thailand - Royal Spirit

Artisan Organization: Sareeyakarn

Country: Thailand

Latest Update

"Before I joined Novica, I had to use a credit card because I didn't have enough income to spend on my daily life. But now I don't use it at all because I have enough cash flow. Novica has given me more knowledge about choosing the best materials to make my jewelry. I constantly study jewelry trends, to make my jewelry designs more attractive. This has opened my eyes up to the world a lot more. I keep improving my design and quality, and as a result, now I earn more from selling jewelry through Novica. This allowed me to let go of my concerns about the unstable cost of living. I've been doing what I love and still continue to earn more.

"The most important advantage of this work is that I have more time to spend with my children and family. I'm very happy that I don't have to go away to work. I don't even need a shop. Before I joined Novica, I couldn't give my children the choice of what they wanted to study and was unable to allow them to experience what they want. With the increase in my sales through Novica, I was able to send my daughter to travel to America when she was in grade 8 when she had an opportunity to learn and gain experience with the English language and different cultures. My daughter loves learning English very much. I think she has a talent for this, and so does my son. I, therefore, encourage them to study the English Program, which has a much higher tuition fee than the normal program. I’m really fortunate that I can make enough income from my Novica sales to pay for my daughter to live comfortably in Bangkok, as it is known that the cost of living there is very expensive.

"Novica is not only giving me enough income to be able to support my family, but also allowing me to take care of my father at home because I don't have to travel back and forth between home and workplace. My father has heart disease. He is very happy and his heart feels warm to have me by his side all the time. I would like to send a million thanks to Novica for dramatically changing every aspect of my life and my family. The sales revenue with Novica has given me great relief from the current uncertain pandemic situation. Most importantly, I would like to thank all of my Novica customers for your support in purchasing my products. Your purchase really helps me and my family. God bless all of you."

Original Artist Story

"My name is Sareeyakarn but my friends call me Fai.

"I was born and raised in Lampang, where my father was a farmer and my mom made clothes. I liked to go to the rice fields with my father. I loved its atmosphere and the beauty of nature. There were all kinds of colors and patterns in the leaves, grass, feathers, butterflies — everything had its own details and was beautiful.

"When I was young, my uncle was my inspiration. He loves art and drawing. He likes to take scrap wood to make into interesting objects. When I was in first grade, he gave me a ballpoint pen to draw anything until the color became darker. Then he took my drawing and pasted it on the back of a jeans jacket, as a background. After that, he used a pen to draw an old movie poster without erasing anything. This was all so amazing for a little girl like me. He inspired me to do the same things that he did. I kept learning and doing it by myself.

"Then I started entering art contests. I was excited when I won an award and I was encouraged to continue with my artwork. One of the awards I was most proud of was third prize for the invention of anything from natural materials when I was in primary school. These awards were sponsored by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the King's second daughter. I created a doll from rice straw.

"My life began to change when I went on to high school. I had to study very hard because there was a lot of competition among the students, so I began to look away from art. When I finished high school, I passed the examination and qualified to study medical technology. The university is in Bangkok, so I had to move there. The workload was intense. I had to study even harder and grew further away from art.

"After graduation, I took a job in a hospital laboratory. During that time, I continued my dream of working with art as a hobby, although I didn't make any income from it. When the economic crisis called 'Bubble Economy' hit Thailand, I had to help support my younger sister financially because she was still a student. I had to earn more income, so I decided to sell my artwork from the trunk of my car as a sideline. I made more than 20 pieces to begin with. The result was extremely good and I was able to sell all of them. I was very happy.

"That was the start of my idea to create handmade jewelry. Every time I crafted a collection and people loved it, I felt very glad. This was also the first time I realized I could actually support myself and my family by doing something I love to do. In 2006, I decided to quit my job and work full-time crafting handmade jewelry.

"Nature inspires most of my designs. I love the simplicity and colors of nature, whether seen in flowers, leaves, butterflies, birds and the sky at different times. Everything fits perfectly and it always makes us happy.

"Instead of sketching a new design, I simply make it, as I feel that I can visualize it in reality and in all dimensions. If it's not perfect, I do it again.

"I am so lucky that I can do what I love. It brings me a living and will never be boring. I can concentrate on my work every time I touch it.

"I would like to thank my parents who gave me strong artistic genes. They made me to be filled with the energy of an artist and have my own character at its best.""