We talked to Katka Bartošová from ObDuro Jewellery. How did she start working with epoxy resin? And how did her first products turn out?
Katka, please introduce yourself to us.
I have been engaged in jewelry making since around 2006. However, my beginnings were not connected with resin jewelry. I was involved in costume and silver jewelry. I made simple bracelets and earrings for friends and acquaintances. Jewelry became my profession just a few years later.
When did you first encounter epoxy resin and why did you decide to try it yourself?
I first saw resin jewelry abroad. I was enchanted. I bought my first set to try and started creating. I was curious about how to work with resin, whether it was complicated, and how magical the results would be.
Resin Jewelry | ObDuro Jewellery
And were the first results magical?
Well, they were more like a horror story! The first resin I worked with was not of good quality. It was not suitable for casting jewelry. It changed color very quickly, which was not good for jewelry where you want to highlight its natural beauty.
Despite the initial failure, you did not give up.
It was a setback, and I am not one to give up easily. I began to investigate more and discovered resins suitable for casting jewelry. There are even resins ideal for encasing flowers. With the right materials, things started to work out.
Resin Jewelry | ObDuro Jewellery
Do you remember your first product? How did it turn out?
The first product was not good at all. Many other products were also not good. But over time, I learned how to work with resin. It’s almost like alchemy. Sometimes I have a day when I’d rather make the Philosopher's Stone than create jewelry with forget-me-nots. Of course, that’s an exaggeration. Working with jewelry is something I really enjoy and it fulfills me.
Was resin initially a hobby, or did you enter creation with a vision of selling products?
Even when I started working with resin, I had an existing jewelry brand where I made silver and steel jewelry with natural pearls and stones. So, deep down, I thought I might create a piece of jewelry that could be sold. But as I said, the beginnings were challenging and I primarily wanted to try it out. It was something entirely new and completely different from knotting pearl necklaces.
Resin Jewelry | ObDuro Jewellery
Which product did you find least successful, and which one are you most proud of?
There were really quite a few unsuccessful ones. Whether they were ruined by bubbles, temperature changes during drying, or my own hands. But when a piece of jewelry turns out well, the feeling is so great! You have a product in front of you that you created entirely by yourself, from start to finish. I make less ornate jewelry. I like simplicity. When it's spring, I prefer earrings with forget-me-nots, and in summer, I prefer moss. When the sun shines through the jewelry, it creates something absolutely unique.
Where can customers find your products?
Currently, all my resin jewelry from the ObDuro Jewellery brand can be found under my older brand Perlomanie. I have so much work that I can't manage two e-shops at once. So, it was easier to combine forces and merge the brands. We still occasionally attend outdoor events, and we also have jewelry available in several brick-and-mortar stores in the Czech Republic.
What advice would you give to beginner resin creators?
Never give up! If you enjoy it, it will work out. Not all beginnings have to be easy. Even though, thanks to increasingly better materials, you won’t have to go through resin hell like I did many years ago when I started with resin. It’s truly great to see how the quality of raw materials is improving, and we creators have more time for creation and don’t have to fumble and experiment as much.
Resin Jewelry | ObDuro Jewellery
##PRODUCT-WIDGETS-33668##