Lisa From Island: Engraving and Silver

A meticulously crafted material. Intricate and delicate designs. Unique jewelry. These are all things you will find at Lisa From Island . We had the pleasure of talking with the nomadic creative spirit that is Lisa-Marie Masse, founder and artisan of this company.

Fortuitous origins

Lisa-Marie tells us straight away that she is “the kind of person who doesn't know what she's going to do tomorrow”. Her beginnings in the world of entrepreneurship were made in the field of handbags, then children's clothing, before she turned to the manufacture of silver jewelry. She has no feeling of attachment to the material she works as much as to the artistic process as such and lets herself be guided by her passion of the moment.

Before switching to silver, she experimented with pennies (which were then no longer in circulation). “I wanted to take my saw and cut pennies . She had fun cutting shapes out of coins to make pendants and earrings. She ended up settling on silver, a metal that can be melted repeatedly. This is how Lisa From Island was launched more than five years ago.

A process like no other

What sets Lisa From Island jewelry apart is how it's made. Lisa-Marie uses etching, the result of which is similar to the technique of laser engraving, which makes it possible to trace fine details on jewellery. The company therefore offers a range of elegant and unique adornments. Lisa-Marie also prepares special orders, such as jewelry displaying fingerprints or the tracing of a child's drawing. "These are markers of time", she comments, emphasizing that this type of jewel constitutes a beautiful family memory.

According to Lisa-Marie, it's a job that requires good dexterity, immense attention to detail and patience. " a piece of jewelry has many steps. It takes time to be beautiful, it's ugly all the way. Indeed, she must follow the steps in a specific order in order to obtain the best results.

You can find Lisa From Island's products on her Etsy store . Lisa-Marie also participates in exhibitions and markets in the Quebec region.

A pandemic that hurts

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges Lisa-Marie has faced with her business. “It was really disastrous. A few stores she partnered with closed or went bankrupt, and online sales plummeted. This is without counting the cancellation of exhibitions and other face-to-face events in which she used to participate.

In order to continue to make progress, Lisa-Marie still took the time to pursue her personal and professional development during this period. “I got coached, I did a boot camp , I invested a lot this year. She chained training, photo shoots, marketing, networking and so on.

While she finds these efforts worthwhile, they have yet to yield results for the company. Lisa-Marie believes this is partly because jewellery, especially craft pieces and not fashion jewellery, doesn't sell very well online. “The shopping experience is not the same; the senses are more appealed to in person. But that will not prevent him from pursuing his passion, while waiting for the market to pick up again.

Art before entrepreneurship

For Lisa-Marie, her passion for art comes first. “It's my universe that is my passion, more than the equipment or the project. She describes herself as a very lonely and unsociable person by choice. If she wasn't making silver jewelry, she would easily find another project to pursue.

She also prioritizes her creative sense over her sense of entrepreneurship. “Basically, I am an artist before being an entrepreneur. She is also thinking of exploring cyanotype in the near future; a monochromatic printing process on fabrics made with light and acids, giving them a bluish tint. This would take her away from making jewelry and she doesn't mind the idea. " it's not so much about being in business as the visceral need to create something, polish it and see it through. »

Buying local to support local artists

What does buying local represent for Lisa-Marie? “The solution to many things. She strongly believes that buying local makes it easier to recognize the value of the objects you buy and that a world that emphasizes the local benefits from a reduced rate of unemployment and poverty, a reduction in the use of polluting plastics and better cohesion as a community.

His entrepreneurial dream would be to one day open his own arts and crafts shop, where several artisans could come together and collaborate on various projects. “Being inspired by the people who work near you” is an idea that really motivates her.
You can follow Lisa-Marie on Facebook , Instagram and Pinterest .

Reviewed by MF Editorial