About Me

Oh, hello there.

I'm Alicia, and I'm a sucker for a pun. I'm a policy researcher by day and maker and teacher on nights and weekends. My jewelry centers bold colors and playful prints. To me, color and pattern represent pure joy. How we present ourselves to the world is a deeply political act. My pieces embody the defiant act of joyful self-expression.

When you shop from Fresh Pear, you are supporting a woman-owned, mixed race Asian-owned, very (very, very) small business.

I make my jewelry using polymer clay, a medium that is very accessible but quite difficult to master. (I'm still learning every day.) My earrings are handmade from start to finish, including mixing colors, cutting, baking, embedding studs, sanding (see photo), drilling, and assembly. The surface patterns on my earrings are created by hand -- I mix, cut, tear, and place each color onto the surface of the clay before cutting it into earring components. This makes each pair unique and a serious labor of love. 

While I try my best to eliminate scratches, bubbles, and other small blemishes, it is impossible to make a completely "perfect" earring by hand. Please know that those tiny imperfections are what makes each pair unique -- just like you.

In a world where things are increasingly mass produced, handmade objects connect us to each other. They’re also a potent reminder that we all have the capacity--in fact, I’d say the need--to create. Research shows that making art is literally good for our bodies and minds. It’s part of what makes us human.