Dr. Joie “Yasha” Taylor
Dr. Joie Taylor, aka “Yasha,” redefines what it means to be a renaissance woman. She traces her trademark style — rare gemstones in surprising settings — to the experiences of her past, explaining that each step she’s made on the map informs her creations. Utilizing hand-selected, responsibly-sourced precious and one-of-a-kind gemstones, her jewelry evokes her history as an engineer, dancer, musician, and healer. Allusions to dance are found in the graceful curves of her art pendants, while her work as a musician is found in her bold stage pieces. Exacting craftsmanship and geometric twists nod towards her years as a metalsmith and scientist. Meanwhile, Yasha’s ongoing work as a healer shapes the greater context of her work, and several pieces in her collection were fashioned with specific restorative qualities.
A member of the Lahaina Arts Society, Yasha’s jewelry is featured at many of Maui’s renown resorts and boutiques. Her work, which has been described by the Curator of Corporate Collections for Waldorf Astoria Michael Gilbert as “unique” and “world class,” exemplifies the modern woman: Powerful and feminine, brave and sensitive, and vibrant and unexpected.
Yasha holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clark Atlanta University and a Ph.D. in Biological and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. She got her start in jewelry as a self-taught bead-smith, which was followed by two years of courses in the fundamentals of jewelry manufacturing, metalsmithing, and gemstone setting at the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center. Yasha handcrafts pieces herself while also working with a team of jewelers to manufacture her designs efficiently. In design, she calls upon her engineering CAD design experience with Matrix for ultimate precision, as well as 3D printing and casting. She calls the South Side of Maui home, and is constantly at work on fresh, innovative pieces.
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