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Ariana is a jeweler and artist. Her personal connection to natural materials developed while growing up between mountains and forests from her childhood in Switzerland, jungles of Borneo, and the rocky islands of the Greek Cycladic. Captivated by the lifecycles of plants and minerals, she works to enliven the classical with elements of expressive gesture and sculpture using precious metals as well as bronze and natural gemstones.

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Ariana launched her brand Embirikos in 2020 starting with one of a kind pieces in bronze and sterling silver. Since then she has had two solo exhibitions in New York: one incorporating bronze sculptures at Shamballa Jewels in Soho and the second showcasing her first gold collection at at Designers’ Collab in Williamsburg. She has been featured as one of New York Jewelry Week’s HWA’s top emerging designers, collaborating with MUZO emerald Colombia to create a unique capsule collection that was displayed at the award winning boutique Greenwich St. Jewelers in Tribeca. Each piece is made by Ariana her studio.

 

Ariana Embirikos discovered her passion for jewelry making and metal-smithing through her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) which she graduated from in 2020. Greek by her father and Bornean by her mother, she grew up fascinated by the similarities between different spiritual beliefs. These were often reflected in mythological stories and artwork, more often than not containing themes of nature as a backdrop. Inspired by her own cross- cultural background, she delved into courses that taught her more about her cultures’ history and their forms of art, specifically on adornment, architecture and spirituality. After spending a summer volunteering at the Greek Cycladic Islands’ second largest archeological dig called Apollo’s temple on Despotiko, Ariana decided to focus her interest in metal and stone work. Touching historical earth and uncovering ancient artifacts every day further connected her to her Ancient Greek roots urged her to pursue her passion; directly working with materials that had been produced by the earth and shaped by artists and craftsmen before her made her want to create work that embodies this feeling.

 

Each piece Ariana creates is embedded with the notion that spirituality is all about finding deep connection and that the deepest connection humans can have is to other humans, and nature. From then on she dedicated her artistic practice to the intimate art of jewelry making as a means of fostering deep connections. 

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Embirikos jewelry can be found at the Cycladic Museum Shop in Athens, Greece, at Fitzgerald Jewelry, Williamsburg New York, and online at her website, and on MUZO’s website. 

 

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

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"My work brings together man’s structural command and nature’s inherent spontaneity. Living with beautiful objects that eulogise the natural world reminds us that we live in a wonderfully intricate system that needs to be cared for, respected and relished.”