Etsy Shop : https://www.etsy.com/shop/LeyYanna
Instagram account : https://www.instagram.com/ley.yanna.art/
Email : luisab@outlook.fr
Behind “ Ley Yanna ” we find Luisa. Luisa lives in the area of the city of Belfort. She makes art through different mediums : first jewelry in the Victorian style and then through some colourful illustrations. In life, her passions are art in all its forms, video games and animals.
OJL : Hello Luisa.
Luisa : Hello.
OJL : Three quick questions before getting to the heart of the matter.
As you live in Belfort, can you tell us what your favorite café is in Belfort ?
Luisa : I really liked going to “One Shot”, a gaming bar but it closed recently. I discovered the “Les Abeilles” café a few months ago, and the atmosphere is very relaxed, I regularly bring my customers there.
OJL : And what is your favourite park or place in Belfort ?
Luisa : To tell the truth, I don’t go out much although I love walking. I would say that my favourite place is the forest. It’s calm and relaxing, it’s always a place that inspires me a lot artistically.
OJL : Finally, what was the last book you read ? And the last song you listened to ?
Luisa : I read very little if at all. I have little free time and I don’t think about reading during those times. Nevertheless, I loved » The Hobbit « , as a big Tolkien fan, I had to read it. It is, of course, a children’s story but I was transported while reading it, and for someone who is not used to reading, it is much less complex than Lord of the Rings.
For music, I regularly listen to LoFi (low fidelity music) when I work, it helps me concentrate.
OJL : Let’s talk a little about you now. How could you introduce yourself ?
Luisa : I am a graphic designer and web designer by trade, I create visual identities and websites for entrepreneurs. I have a real passion for art and design and I am happy to have been able to turn my passion into my profession. I am constantly testing new ways of creating: jewelry making, 3D modeling, painting etc…
Outside of my work, I volunteer at the Belfort SPA (animal protection society), where I take photos of the residents so that they can find a loving family.
OJL : Bravo for what you are doing at the SPA. Now, can you tell us how you chose your pseudonym ?
Luisa : When I was younger, my older brother and I loved playing “ Guild Wars “ together, an online game where we often cooperated. The characters created must have a name consisting of at least two words. We are being more creative in finding original names, my brother was particularly talented and it was he who came up with the nickname “Ley Yanna”. I’ve always loved this name and I’ve been using it everywhere for over 10 years.
OJL : Incredible. Let’s move on to your work. How did you start creating jewelry ?
Luisa : I had a period where I created a lot of jewelry, in a Victorian, Gothic and even Elvish style. Initially I created them for pleasure, I did a lot of fantasy, medieval type photo shoots and the jewelry complemented the outfit well. As I didn’t think I would make a business out of it, all my creations are unique, I have never made the same piece of jewelry twice. Over time, I found myself with way too much jewelry and decided to sell them on Etsy to make room.
OJL : What types of jewelry do you like to create? I saw your adorable chokers for example.
Luisa : I particularly like making necklaces, especially chokers ! I find them so cute and it dresses the neck wonderfully, although it’s generally quite warm.
OJL : Do you have an anecdote about the creation of one of your jewelry ? Or one of your sales ?
Luisa : Yes, a sale, which is not one at all. At the time, I took photos of my jewelry with the decoration around it. I had placed a pretty necklace on a very beautiful book with a leather cover with superb Celtic patterns. I received a message on my store one day about this necklace and I was super happy. The lady who contacted me actually wanted to know… Where I found this magnificent book… It’s a bit annoying when attention is paid completely off to your work ! (big smile).
OJL : Last question: who are the artists who inspire you ? Who motivates you ?
Luisa : I admire many artists, each one more beautiful than the next. Among them is Elora Pautrat, her style is very retro and colorful with Japanese inspiration. I also really admire traditional artists, I like the reliefs of the painting and the texture on the paper.
OJL : Bravo for what you do. May Our Lady protects you.
Luisa : Thank you.
Quincey Morris
