At the heart of Warsaw, I meet Anna Zycka, pronounce Jetska, within the premises of Wytwornia Antidotum. It is a private school of conception and production of jewels. In a few figures, it opened in 2006, awarded almost 500 diplomas, proposes 37 different courses and workshops and 14 polish brands this day arose from this training. Young creators and professors continue to live side by side and support each other because it proposes also rented spaces with workbenches for the preparation of their collections. It is here that in 2013 Anna did the professional training course of jewellery in 3 years and setted up her brand.
Anna seems to be at first sight a quite reserved person, but she is very smiling, friendly and charming. The conversation moves on and I discover her personality. I find her surprising. Her visible peace hides a fascinating and passionate temperament. Between life in Italy and a short time to the Academy of Arts of Warsaw, she was a tattooer and participates in rallies, way for her to free the tension accumulated during her days in seated position, where the concentration and the patience are tested severely.
She looked for a long time her way, with for great objective to find the job that she would practice by passion, “to be happy and so that it occupies every free moment”. As a young girl, she discovered René Lalique and had a very favorite for the plique-a-jour enamel. The idea to become a jeweller emerged but the constraints were diverse. Today, she allies her gift for the painting and her worship for colors in one activity, the enamelling.
Self-taught and determined, her mastery of the techniques of the plique-a-jour, champlevé and ronde-bosse is the result of numerous hours of experiences, tests, reflection and an immense patience. Indeed, it happens that the same jewel realized in the same way and simultaneously does not give identical results in term of color or holding. In this case, her main concern will be to find the reason of this difference and to solve the problem. Anna also uses the Korean technique of gilting called Keum Boo. She couples all her skills in the realization of jewels according to the traditional techniques of the jewellery.
She finds her inspiration in the Art deco and the nature. The collection Magnolia holds its origin of its stay in Italy where these flowers are magnificent. Enamelled in green, purple or black, in silver or gold-plated version, the rings are also proposed set by a line of zircons. Fish Koï, multicolored forget-me-not, moths, feathers and small sheets spread a range of vibrant colors. The Petals collection is declined in rings, bracelets and pendants, charming us by its multiple versions – gold-plated, oxidized, enamelled, decorated with cultured pearls – and by its feminine and graceful line. Last collection to come, the enamelled Arums are as much a technical challenge as a marvel to carry so much the depiction is sublime.
The creator suggests unique and original jewels by their design and the impossible standardizing of the enamelling or the Keum Boo process. They will abduct women with strong and audacious personalities, but also those more delicate and reserved, who will have for common to be in agreement with them and to assume their individuality. Fluid line, subtle curves and warm colors will embellish your autumn dresses.
