| About: I was fortunate enough to grow up in the home of an outstanding artist. In fact my most basic childhood memory is one of my mother’s portraits and sculptures. After completing a master’s degree in education I moved to the United States and decided to pursue my passion for art. Beginning with stained glass, I created many eye-catching pieces before I learned to fuse glass, making dichroic glass pendants, rings and earring sets. I quickly realized the colors that were being created in my kilns were reminiscent of the vast kaleidoscope of colors I knew as a little girl in my native country. With this inspiration it was then that I decided to exclusively create jewelry with fashion, glamour, and the modern woman in mind and Maleku Jewelry Designs was born.
We Carry:
Women's Jewelry,
Women's Accessories
Famous For: Head-turning statement pieces made from sterling and fine silver, 14, 22, and 24 K gold and semi precious stones such as blue Persian turquoise, black onyx, smoky quartz, jasper, astrophyllite, eudialyte and labradorite among others -beauty from the crust of the earth.
I also particularly use freshwater pearls, corals, abalone, mother-of-pearl and others - beauty from the depths of the sea.
My beads are seed beads, handmade glass beads, and other trade beads - beauty from the generations of many cultures.
And don’t forget the world-famous Swarovski crystals from the Czech Republic which make every piece a treasure.
Press: Maleku Jewelry shines during 11th Annual Latin Grammys
Sept 2010, Las Vegas - Prominent Costa Rican jewelry designer Ileana Rojas-Bennett and her award winning Maleku Jewelry line of fine gemstones and silver, was one of the honored vendors chosen to gift the recording artists and guests backstage in the talent lounge during rehearsals for the vibrant music awards ceremony
Held again at the spacious 12,000 seat Mandalay Bay Events Center in non-stop Las Vegas, the Latin Grammys celebrate the hottest current Latin recording artists in the music industry.
Gifts for the ladies included hand-hammered sterling silver demi-cup earrings adorned with a single Mabe pearl, as well as sterling silver necklaces glistening with polished Amethyst or Labradorite, while the gentlemen received gemstone cufflinks or the ever-popular Kapi-Kapi bracelet, made from rustic leather and trade beads.
Maleku Jewelry is hot off an award winning trip to New York Fashion Week where the exotic jewelry line won the Beyond The Runway Award, receiving a prize package worth $50,000 in entrepreneurial incentives.
Born in the capital city of San Jose, designer and CEO Ileana Rojas-Bennett gives credit to her mother as one of her main influences. “I was fortunate enough to grow up in the home of an outstanding artist. In fact my most basic childhood memory is one of my mother’s portraits and sculptures”. But the beauty found in the tropical forests of her birthplace also inspires her “I consider myself a child of nature. Growing up surrounded by rainforests and volcanoes, it gets in your blood. So I take the colors and textures from my life experiences and turn them into jewelry”.
Also driving her creative abilities is her ancestry from the highly artistic Maleku Indians of Northern Costa Rica. This indigenous tribe is widely known for their fantastic wall paintings, as well as highly decorative gourds, masks, bowls and other pieces. Unfortunately, this indigenous group of people is rapidly disappearing as their culture and art vanishes as well. Although there are only about 500 Maleku people left in Costa Rica, this group has miraculously managed to preserve their treasured art and creativity, time-honored crafts, and cherished language.
Customers can take pride in knowing part proceeds of Maleku Jewelry Designs’ sales are donated to the Maleku Indians. “As a descendant of the few remaining Maleku artists, it’s an honor for me to bestow part proceeds of sales to my beloved Maleku villages throughout northern Costa Rica,” stressed Ileana. “Preserving Maleku’s beautiful but disappearing art - and supporting these artists in their ongoing quest to create art is crucial”.
The charming Maleku Jewelry Designs jewelry line, ranging from $50-$1,500, comes with a certificate of authenticity. Available nationwide, a warm "Kapi Kapi" welcome to the Maleku Jewelry Designs Web site: www.malekujewelry.com<
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