This is an UPDATE to the letter below this one:
Hello everyone,
Well, it will be soon be 2 years since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. I have done much research, and am doing quite well…
What I had left of my jewelry has dwindled away -I must say I love to hear from you, previous customers!- and I have little left, mostly pendants now. Please know I am now offering a 30% discount on each piece you purchase. My pieces are happiest when they’ve found their rightful person to accompany on their journey!
Also, I did find a great person to take over my business, she is (obviously!) a former customer of mine. It will take her a while to unfold as a “working” Spirit Jeweler, but she is already one in her soul, which is what was most important for me.
I am looking forward to hearing from you if you are interested in any of my pieces.
Wishing you the best,
Maya
A letter to each and all of you who have loved my work
Dear friend,
Over the last 25 years of my being a jeweler, you have appreciated and supported my work. It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve your needs and desires, and to speak to your heart and soul via the heart and soul I put in all the pieces I made.
Big changes
Some of you who know me well might be wondering why you haven’t seen me at the usual fall art shows. Well, over the last few months, things have changed a lot for me…let me tell you a bit about it:
Last winter, I became aware it was becoming difficult and very exhausting to work and even to do art shows. You know me, I went on a deep exploration of what was going on. I ended up seeing a neurologist… and was diagnosed at the very end of March as having beginning Parkinson. It’s a big deal, of course, which called me to fast action and the necessary big decisions:
– to retire from being a jeweler (after all, I’m 67, so this was not a bad time).
– to go live full time in France with my partner of 16 years (who has now become my husband).
– Both decisions so that I could immediately take all the time needed to focus deeply on my personal needs and the exploration of the whys and hows of this disease.
Those decisions had to be made fast as I was exhausted from a very busy art show season. I put my house for sale right after my last show and headed to France, to start taking care of my health there.
Since then, I have sold my house in Florida, but I still have some jewelry pieces left and I have in storage the entirety of my jewelry-making business… and this is where you come in…
My last pieces of jewelry
The jewelry pieces I have left are now all on sale. On this website, under jewelry categories are 3 pages: last pendants, last earrings and last rings. Please forgive me for th mediocre quality of the photos, I couldn’t do any better with my “rebellious” hands. All the prices are 10% off the listed price. A slightly bigger discount could be applied for several pieces bought at the same time.
My hope is that every single one of my last pieces finds its rightful and happy owner. Please have a look at those 3 pages and contact me by using the contact form or email at mayakonforti@hotmail.com, or send me a text or WhatsApp message at (727) 639-3581.
A great opportunity for one of you
In Florida, on a dear friend’s land, still lays my small trailer-workshop filled with all my tools, the tricks of my personal trade, and many supplies + the complete set-up for doing art shows. I even still have my van to travel to shows with a couch to sleep on!
My deepest desire is to find one person who would like to learn from me and acquire all the above (or most of it). I could come this winter to Florida (my workshop is near Vero Beach, in Indian River county) for a week or so to train this person on the basics, and would follow up with teachings on visio, as needed, so that I can pass on everything I know about doing this work. I am willing to sell the entirety of my business to the right person for a price that will fit us both. I think you understand that my main motivation is first to pass on my skills (including the spirit I discovered within me and fabricated with) so they are not lost, and second to give someone motivated the means to earn a very decent living (I have supported myself financially for the last 25 years while only working half the year). To the right person, this will be very special indeed.
If you or someone you know are interested, please send me a quick email at mayakonforti@hotmail.com
We will then convene of a deeper conversation on Skype, in order to explore possibilities together.
I am very much looking forward to hear from you, it will be a warm pleasure to reconnect.
Maya
PS: I am taking great care of myself and discovering lots about this disease. Will be happy to share with anyone interested.