I love designing, and my jewelry is like a canvas where I can pour something from my heart and ideas.
Update January 2025:
"My name is Diah Arini, thank you very much for reading my bio. Luckily, I learned how to design, produce, and sell silver since I got married in 1989. I learned it from my husband, and his parents. I believe that one day it will help me and my family. 2012 was a new beginning in my life. I had to change my life, become a wife but still be able to earn money for myself and my children by designing products, producing by myself and my small staff, and selling them on consignment to local shops and my luck to work with Novica. Glad to know that Novica staff are very friendly to teach me how to be a top craftsman competing healthily with other craftsmen and supporting all my designs. By joining Novica, I can be a woman who can respect myself, my own life, become a strong woman with a good income for my children.
"Honestly, my life as a Balinese woman has changed with this jewelry business. I can say as a woman who earns a living for her family, I am very grateful to have this business. However, my role as a woman, especially a Balinese woman, continues as it should. Such as giving offerings, making banten, helping the surrounding community, and so on. But the difference is, I can make decisions for my family, because I have my own money. And because of that, believe it or not, my family is more peaceful than before. Happy to have all of this. I work and learn from my husband's family who are native Celuk residents and have run a silver business for generations.
"After the children grew up and had a lot of free time, that's when I thought and decided to earn my own living, you could say I worked with my husband's family for 8 years. Yes, I usually hire my friend but he does it freelance, so not often. And for my children, yes they often help me with traveling jobs, such as carrying some samples, packing, and coding goods. Honestly, I don't have a specific goal, but I hope my business can grow, spread wider, and generate more profits, with my age, I just want to leave a legacy for my children. As a woman, I love designing, and my jewelry is like a canvas where I can pour something from my heart and ideas. Jewelry is about a woman and every woman wants to be a beautiful person.
"Moreover, if my design can sell a lot, I am very proud and grateful that many people like my design. I can't decide, I love to make both. And often I combine traditional and contemporary. Working with NOVICA for about 12 years. I can explore more designs and spread my product designs, such as rings, earrings, necklaces, etc. The challenge is to find a blacksmith or silversmith which is very rare in this generation. I also train my children at the age of 31 years how to do all this is not easy. My quality of life has changed a lot, thanks to Novica. Now I can take care of my health and my family without worrying about the cost. My family also becomes more peaceful and calm because we are able to provide for our needs. Just to grow and be able to make more designs, so I can spread my designs to the world. I just want to say thank you very much to Novica. When I answered this quiz, I realized more, and looked back at how my past was before. I can't even imagine that I can still do it 12 years later. Thank you Novica."
Original:
"I was born in Celuk, renowned for its silversmith legacy though my parents worked for the government instead. They believed it was more important to have an education in order to have a better life, and so I was lucky to be able to go to the university and get a degree in law.
"Unfortunately in Bali, when we women get married, we must move to the man's house and follow what our husband decides. I wasn't able to work in what I had studied and instead I was expected to take care of my husband, my child, and my husband's family. Sometimes I would feel that life wasn't fair, that I could do more than being a stay-at-home mom — I could earn money for myself, my child, and my parents. But I had to accept the reality that my husband was in control of everything.
"And yet there's been another side to this, and luckily I learned how to design and craft silver jewelry since I've been married. My husband and his parents taught me, and I knew that someday it would come in handy.
"2012 represents a new beginning – my new life. I decided to change my life — continue being a wife, but still be able to make money for myself and my children by designing and creating my own jewelry collections. I have put together a little team of artisans to help me and have been finding a way to sell locally. Now I'm trying my luck with you!
"My friends would tell you I'm a humble, calm and friendly person. My parents taught me to have a great life and be useful. My mother taught me that a woman must be strong and independent, not expect too much from her husband, and that she must do something with her own life and for her children.
"My jewelry reflects me and the beauty I find in life. Jewelry to me is about being a woman, and every woman wants to feel beautiful. My inspiration comes from Balinese nature, fashion trends, etc. What I often find the most challenging part is selling my jewelry – I'm learning to negotiate! It just takes a little bit of patience while I learn to listen to what shops or people want.
"My team includes a relative as well as other people who I am happy to help ease their economic problems. I heard about you through Indah, another featured artist. I've been happy to get to know your staff – they are really friendly and supportive of my work. By working with you, I hope I can achieve what my mother taught me to be — a self-respecting woman in charge of her own life, who is strong, and can provide for her children."
