Archita Roy, a native of New Hampshire formed ADC which stands for Ananda Dhara Creations, a traveling jewelry store that she created out of sheer passion and donating 100% the proceeds for a good cause.As her website says, it is all about finding an unending flow (Dhara) of joy, happiness and bliss (Ananda) through these unique and exquisite jewelry creations. Every time you buy and wear one of these jewelry pieces, you will not only be making a statement but celebrating the lives of hundreds of children who are desperately in need of help and support.
Says Archita "I was born and brought up in India and came to the US in 1975 with my husband. After moving around a bit, we settled in Kansas City where I reared two beautiful children and had a successful career in corporate America—where I retired as a Director at Sprint Telecommunications, a Fortune 100 company. After the nest emptied and my husband and I retired, we packed up and moved to the Boston area.
How did you first get this idea?
I’ve always had an interest in fashion, and, in my younger days, used to make my own jewelry to match my outfits. Well, in 2011, I had a fractured foot that left me bed-ridden for a month. Since I have always been a very active person, this left me feeling quite depressed and self-reflective. I realized how grateful I was to God for giving me all that I had—good health, a loving family and financial stability—and that I wanted to give back. On one of these nights, in a dream, my spiritual guru (Ma Anandamayi) told me to take my hobby of jewelry making and channel it to help those less fortunate. I made a few pieces and received very positive feedback from my friends and family. I made some sales. I made some more pieces and more sales. This cycle continued until where I am today—taking my jewelry to art festivals and craft fairs in the Boston area.
Where do you pick and choose the material?
I get my stones and pendants from two major sources: my travels and a set of wholesale dealers in NYC who supports my cause. For both of these, I am always on the look out for high-quality, unique elements with unique stories—I can’t resist a bronze pendant hand-crafted using a 4,000 year-old casting technique.
Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
I get my inspiration from the stones and pendants themselves. As I stated earlier, I am drawn to unique elements and unique stories. Once I find them, I focus my creative energies on finding the right mix of complimentary materials, colors, textures and shapes to fully realize that vision. To that extent, I have a very eclectic design aesthetic that at times contradicts itself; I have pieces that are rustic, tribal, bold, subtle, chunky, slender, long, and short.
Which is your favorite way of making these jewelry and where do you make them?
For me, making jewelry is a very personal and spiritual process. I have a “beading area†(as my 5-year old grand-daughter calls it) set up in the spare bedroom and each day I spend my free moments there. I start each session with a prayer to my guru asking for her blessing and continued guidance. I then sit down and let the inspiration take me.
Tell us a bit about the non profits you support?
I support 3 missionary schools located in India—2 in Kolkata and 1 in Omkareshwar. Each of these schools is 100% dependent on donations and focused on providing free food, clothing, education, and healthcare to desolate children in the deepest slums of India. In addition to providing monetary support, I visit these schools once a year to work directly with them.100% of the sale proceeds after material cost and exhibition expenses are donated to the schools. And also the fact that we sponsored 7 children and implemented a specific lunch program is a lifelong commitment. These are not one time donations to help a project.
More information about the schools and the seven children I sponsor can be found on my website (www.adcjewelrydesings.com) and my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/adcjewelry)
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