Agate and Recycled Glass Dragonfly Necklace from Costa Rica, "Eco-Friendly Dragonfly"

“My name is Grettel Sandoval, mother of two beautiful teenage children, homemaker, family woman; and I have dedicated myself to creating jewelry. I have always been passionate about creating and designing, so I studied design and interior decoration.

“One day I took a basic course in glass painting. It drew my attention right from the start. It made me very happy to be able to express myself with such a marvelous art. I took a small four-session course, and in each one we were asked to bring a painted piece. I always brought ‘something extra,’ which greatly interested my professor. When I finished the course, she approached me and we decided to create a small business together. As time passed, both of us began forming our own styles and eventually we took different paths. We are very good friends and we are always helping each other.

“With time, I began to innovate. I didn’t just stay with what I had learned; on the contrary, I created my own combinations of colors, new techniques, and figures that were made with daily practice. In this way, my techniques were perfected and I fell even deeper in love with this art. Entirely dedicated to my family, my studies, and this craft, I completed my college studies, and I decided to dedicate myself to creating painted glass jewelry. Here I have found the freedom to express myself, and the power to transmit my creativity and my feelings in pieces in which one can see a work made with a lot of dedication and love.

“Thanks to my work, I have been able to participate in a lot of fairs, which led me to export my pieces to China for a time. It was a very gratifying experience, because I knew that my pieces were appreciated for their technique and visual content.

“What started in 2007 as a simple course has transformed into the passion of my day-to-day life. I dream to be able to offer my creations to other parts of the world, learn more, expand my knowledge, and one day be able to share everything that I have learned with more people.

“My family is my primary inspiration, my strength, and for whom I want to continue fighting for my dreams. In this way I can teach them that fighting for your dreams is an essential part of life.”