10 questions with Audrey Kafkallides of Audrey K

For Audrey Kafkallides, art is a natural—even spontaneous—process. Her interest in copper jewelry making was originally sparked while vacationing abroad, and now almost everywhere she goes, you can find copper wire winding and molding through her hands. With her youngest son about to finish high school, Kafkallides felt that now was a time to dive more deeply into creative endeavors. Using only her hands and simple tools, she creates one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by what is happening in the world immediately around her. She has loved the chance to become more involved in the community through art events and festivals, and has even donated her pieces for nonprofit auctions and fundraising. Kafkallide’s shared her some of her journey with inRegister, revealing what makes her jewelry unique and giving us some behind-the-scenes insight on her newest  “middle finger” ring collection.

1. How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​integrate​ ​your​ ​jewelry​ ​business​ ​into​ ​your​ ​daily​ ​life?

I​ ​carry​ ​my​ ​tools​ ​with​ ​me​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time.​ ​I​ ​love​ ​to​ ​play​ ​with​ ​the​ ​copper​ ​wire,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​create pieces​ ​wherever​ ​I​ ​go. I’m always​ ​either​ ​creating​ ​jewelry,​ ​thinking​ ​about​ ​it,​ ​promoting​ ​it​, ​or​ ​even​ ​dreaming​ ​about​ ​it.

2. What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​professional​ ​background?​ ​How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​get​ ​into​ ​jewelry​ ​making?

I​ ​studied​ ​psychology​ ​at​ ​LSU​, ​where​ ​I​ ​met​ ​my​ ​husband. ​I​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​stay​-at​-home​ ​mom when​ ​I​ ​had​ ​my​ ​sons.​ ​I’ve​ ​been​ ​teaching​ ​yoga​ ​for​ ​14​ ​years.But I’ve​ ​always​ ​loved​ ​artisan​ ​jewelry!​ ​Last​ ​year​ ​while​ ​visiting​ ​my​ ​Greek​ ​husband’s​ ​family​ ​in Cyprus,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​inspired​ ​to​ ​start​ ​making​ ​jewelry.​ ​​ ​The​ ​only​ ​supplies​ ​I​ ​could​ ​find,​ ​were​ ​shed wires​ ​(some​ ​even​ ​rusty),​ ​pliers​ ​and​ ​hammers.​ ​So​ ​I​ ​began​ ​creating. By​ ​the​ ​time​ ​I​ ​returned​ ​home,​ ​I​ ​had​ ​created​ ​a​ ​small​ ​collection,​ ​and​ ​copper​ ​wire​ ​and​ ​new tools​ ​were​ ​waiting​ ​for​ ​me. To​ ​honor​ ​the​ ​place​ ​of​ ​my​ ​initial​ ​inspiration,​ ​all​ ​my​ ​collections​ ​are​ ​named​ ​after​ ​Greek mythological​ ​figures.

3. Where​ ​can​ ​customers​ ​expect​ ​to​ ​find​ ​your​ ​products​ ​around​ ​town?​ ​What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​first thing​ ​they​ ​will​ ​notice​ ​about​ ​them?

Currently​ ​my​ ​jewelry​ ​is​ ​available​ ​in​ ​Baton​ ​Rouge​ ​at: Sweet​ ​Leather​ ​Goods​ ​at​ ​Circa, Wanderlust​ ​by​ ​Abby​, Salon​ ​Rima​ ​at​ ​Bocage, Yoga​ ​Bliss, ​Mid​ ​City​ ​art​ ​crawls​ ​at​ ​BrewHaHa , and various​ ​local​ ​art​ ​events​ ​and​ ​festivals​ ​in​ ​the​ ​region.

I also do home parties and private showings on an appointment basis. Occasionally I do bring my jewelry to festivals and private showings in places such as Cyprus and Costa Rica.

The​ ​first​ ​thing​ ​that​ ​people​ ​notice​ ​about​ ​my​ ​jewelry​ ​is​ ​it’s​ ​simplicity​ ​and​ ​uniqueness.

4. Where​ ​do​ ​you​ ​get​ ​your​ ​inspiration​ ​for​ ​your​ ​designs​ ​and​ ​pieces?
I​ ​am​ ​inspired​ ​by​ ​nature​ ​and​ ​people.​ ​I​ ​may​ ​see​ ​a​ ​shape,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​design​ ​pops​ ​into​ ​my​ ​head. I’ll​ ​be​ ​hanging​ ​out​ ​with​ ​a​ ​loved​ ​one. Maybe​ it ​is​ ​the​ ​way​ ​they​ ​move​ ​or​ ​something​ ​they​ ​say, and​ ​it​ ​sparks​ ​a​ ​new​ ​idea.

5. What​ ​is​ ​one​ ​thing​ ​you​ ​think​ ​customers​ ​should​ ​know​ ​about​ ​your​ ​work​ ​that​ ​they may​ ​not​ ​be​ ​aware​ ​of?

All​ ​my​ ​work​ ​is​ ​handmade​ ​by​ ​myself​ ​with​ ​very​ ​simple​ ​tools;​ ​it​ ​is​ ​all​ ​“Hammered​ ​and​ ​Twisted with​ ​Love”.
I​ ​regularly​ ​donate​ ​jewelry​ ​for​ ​silent​ ​auction​ ​fundraisers.​ ​I’ve​ ​donated​ ​to​ ​about​ ​10 different​ ​fundraisers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​year.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​one​ ​way​ ​I​ ​can​ ​give​ ​to​ ​the​ ​community.

6. What​ ​sets​ ​your​ ​jewelry​ ​apart?

No​ ​two​ ​pieces​ ​are​ ​exactly​ ​alike​ ​since​ ​they​ ​are​ ​all​ ​handmade​ ​one​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time.​ ​The​ ​designs are​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​natural.

7.  ​Can​ ​you​ ​give​ ​us​ ​a​ ​hint​ ​of​ ​anything in-progress​ ​at​ ​the​ ​moment?

I​ ​just​ ​released​ ​my​ ​“middle​ ​finger”​ ​collection,​ ​at the suggestions of​ ​​​my​ ​husband​ ​and​ ​four​ ​grown sons​.​​  ​For​ ​when​ ​you​ ​have​ ​those​ “​special”​ ​people​ ​in​ ​your​ ​life.

8. What​ ​was​ ​your​ ​reason​ ​for​ ​starting​ ​your​ ​business?​ ​What​ ​have​ ​you​ ​learned​ ​through the​ ​process?

I’m​ ​at​ ​a​ ​stage​ ​in​ ​my​ ​life​ ​where​ ​I​ ​have​ ​more​ ​time​ ​to​ ​be​ ​creative! My​ ​sons​ ​are​ ​grown,​ ​my​ ​“baby”​ ​is​ ​a​ ​senior​ ​in​ ​high​ ​school.​ ​​ ​It​ ​was​ ​time​ ​to​ ​reinvent​ ​myself. I​ ​love​ ​participating​ ​in​ ​markets,​ ​festivals​ ​and​ ​art​ ​crawls,​ ​interacting​ ​with​ ​people​ ​and watching​ ​their​ ​reaction​ ​to​ ​my​ ​jewelry. I​ ​am​ ​learning​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​especially​ ​about​ ​the​ ​business​ ​process.

9. What​ ​are​ ​a​ ​few​ ​must-have​ ​pieces​ ​this​ ​season?

The​ ​bangle​ ​bracelets​ ​from​ ​“Aphrodite”​ ​(Goddess​ ​of​ ​Love​ ​and​ ​Beauty)​ ​collection,​ ​and​ ​a pair​ ​of​ ​earrings​ ​from​ ​“Agapi​ ​Mou”​ ​(My​ ​Love)​ ​collection. I​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​you​ ​should: “Wear​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​that​ ​brings​ ​you​ ​joy!” Chose​ ​the​ ​one​ ​that​ ​speaks​ ​to​ ​you.

10. What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​all-time​ ​best-selling​ ​item?

Rings!!!​ ​​I​ ​have​ all kinds: ​from​ ​very​ ​delicate​ ​small​ ​rings,​ ​midi​ ​rings,​ ​toe​ ​rings,​ ​to​ ​larger​ ​statement rings,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​“Zeus”​ ​(King​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Gods)​ ​collection​ ​for​ ​men.