MANILA, Philippines?Tara dela Rama designs rings, bracelets, earrings and brooches, so she is very enthusiastic about learning jewelry photography. She was born in Los Angeles, California, but she was raised in the Philippines by her grandmother, until she moved back to the US at age 10.
In college, she took up architecture, but she soon found herself in a jewelry-making class. Later, she earned a graduate degree in jewelry design at the Gemological Institute of America.
During a visit to Manila, she met her mom?s classmate, Elizabeth Encarnacion, who offered her a job as a designer for Kuwintas Jewelry?and found the career she wanted!
Elizabeth is very supportive of her young designer?and she treats her 21-year-old ward like a daughter. She?s helping Tara start her own line of jewelry. The latter prefers to use lesser-known but pricey stones, like rutilated quartz and tourmaline. She educates her buyers about gems.
Diverse designs
Tara designs to enhance a stone?s beauty. She creates uniquely handcrafted pieces that command attention. Her diverse designs are both modern and classic?and she takes into account the personality of the buyer, as well as her likes and dislikes.
Tara also finds pleasure in painting. She finds it less stressful to hang out with her male cousins?there?s less fuss and drama. But, she?s also very fashionable.
Too bad she and her uncle, Benjamin Jalandoni, as well as her cousin, Jamie, were bumped off from my last photo-safari trip to Batanes?even if they arrived before me at the Asian Spirit check-in counter. Now, I?m ?forced? to teach her the nitty-gritty of jewelry photography. I don?t mind, really, because Tara is a very focused student?and she?s brilliant at what she does!
The showroom of her collaborations with Elizabeth Encarnacion is located at 32 A. Paredes st., San Diego ave., Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City. Call 913-2576.
E-mail mandynavasero@yahoo.com, call 899-1767, or drop by our studio at Rm. 227, LRI Design Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia st., Bel-Air II, Makati City, Metro Manila.
