New Moon in Libra October 7, 2010 11:44 am pdt

Spotlight on Libran Artist, Marcia Big Island of Hawaii Shop: Kahili Creations

As a Libra woman I must confess to my need to be surrounded by beauty with Venus being my ruling planet. Could that be why my family and I packed up our things and moved from a congested urban landscape to a rain forest in Hawaii?

Being a Libra enables me to be fair and honest in all aspects of my life. I can see both sides to every argument and situation, but unfortunately that can lead to indecisiveness! I will make a necklace, admire it, start photographing it and then decide it would look better as a pair of earrings; out come the wire cutters!

Libras are known for being artistic, but  I can't draw! I desperately needed a creative outlet as a child but since I lacked drawing and painting skills I became crafty instead. I dug holes in the backyard for clay so I could make little bowls and pots, I strung beads, and made "stained glass" out of food coloring, toothpicks and Elmer's Glue plus made a mess out of the kitchen trying to cook everything out of cookbooks.

Sparkly things mesmerize me and I can stare at gemstones all day long - I hold them in my hands and designs flow from them.

Today my creations are made from stones and metal. For inspiration I just have to look outside my window to find the beauty of nature all around me from blue sky, azure waters, rainbows, and black sand beaches to the volcanoes of my island home.Even the air, fragrant with jasmine, ginger and plumeria, is magnificent and I see textures in the hardened lava, sea shells and leaves that will eventually translate into a piece of jewelry.

Indulging in the Libra characteristic of loving the finer things in life, I have traveled extensively. One of the most memorable experiences I had was watching goldsmiths in Greece work on a sapphire and gold ring for me. It was influenced by a Mycenaean design and I cherish that ring to this day. I love seeing artists at work, so walking through the Oltrarno district in Florence, Italy inspired me greatly.There are so many amazing artisans there who are more than happy to open their studios and talk for hours about their craft. If only I could afford their gorgeous work; the micro-mosaics took my breath away.

While being artistic I also require the balance of actually making a fair wage for my creations. This means that along with designing comes the other part of owning a business: the dreaded marketing, packaging and accounting.

A balanced life with family, friends and a fruitful creative presence is precious to this Libra.

Marcia's Bio

Kahili Creations specializes in delicate jewelry made with precious and semi-precious stones, fine and sterling silver, vermeil and gold-filled findings.

What is it about things that sparkle? I really, really wanted a Yag simulated diamond when I was 8. The lady at the Akron showed me how much they twinkled under those fluorescent lights and I was hooked.

After an education at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and many careers later, we fast forward to now. My twinkly things are the many gemstone beads, silver and gold in my collection. The inspiration for my jewelry line comes from my life on the Big Island of Hawaii. The riot of colors and sounds that greet me every morning starts my

creative juices flowing. The flowers are more vibrant, the trees greener, the sky more blue, the water warmer, the air more fragrant. We have hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes galore and Kilauea has been churning lava my way. I am really one with the elements. With an annual rainfall totaling over 120 inches a year, I also need something to do during the downpours.

As with most gemstones and pearls, natural inclusions occur. In other words, the beads in my jewelry are a little flawed, just like yours truly.