A look at Anita Sondore’s top five sources of inspiration

When asked to name five of her favorite things that inspire or help her to make great jewelry, Anita Sondore in Riga, Latvia, shared the following:

Cities and People
Whether I’m traveling the world or staying in my home city, I like to take a coffee at a street cafe and just look at the people passing, feeling the atmosphere, experiencing the lights and sounds. I like to observe the world around me, and I see sources of inspiration to develop or build on in everything.

Cultural Heritage
I am interested in learning and discovering the cultural heritages of different nations and civilizations, and the way it’s applied to current life through architecture and art. I also like to explore Latvia’s ethnographic heritage from a new standpoint, and then build and construct contemporary jewelry by using this heritage in an entirely different dimension.

Nature
I like to look at the forms and colors in nature, and then think about the feelings created by observing it: Games of light and shadow, light patterns, how sunlight plays on dewdrops, and the fantastic unity of it all. I also like the rhythms and patterns of nature, how day follows night, winter follows summer, life follows life.

Books
I like to read a lot. When reading books, I see pictures in front of me. Sometimes I prolong the story by creating my own story around the subject that made me interested. Afterward, I transform these stories into drawings or paintings, and then from these drawings, I start the sketch for the piece of jewelry.

Beauty
I enjoy looking at beautiful things in any form they come in—a piece of art, a nice picture in a window, an interesting mix of color, the movement of a crowded street, or a moment of emotion captured on someone’s face. My mission as a woman is to generate more beauty in the world and nature.