RENTON, Wash. — It can take years before a new career takes off. But in Camisha Jackson's case, her career as a jewelry maker took off even before she knew she had one.
"I got an email from this representative from the Smithsonian Institute. And she wanted 4,000 pieces of jewelry. And I've never, I was like, 4000? And I thought it was a joke," said Camisha.
It was no joke. They wanted to sell her jewelry at the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. But there was just one issue: Camisha didn't know how to make them.
"I spent the next three months, basically trying to figure out how to make jewelry, sitting there trying to come up with designs off the top of my head."
She's come a long way since filling that massive order. She left her job as a video game artist to start her own jewelry-making business called, Lunaversoul.
"I would say that I don't really have a particular style because I pull from so many different places. Anything inspires me,” Said Camisha. "Colors inspire me, buildings, architecture, moods, emotions."
Her work has been showcased on runways and in magazines. It even caught the eye of recording artist, Erykah Badu.
"One day, she sent me a message on Instagram. And you know, and I'm sitting here looking at it. And so she writes, it's me. And I'm like, okay," recalled Camisha. "She told me that my work was just incredible, beautiful. And she would be honored to be able to wear anything that I make."
Camisha credits her background in drawing and her love of all things nerdy for creating pieces that are one of a kind.
"I take my supplies, and I just kind of just dumped them on the table, and just start trying to move things around, see what fits, see what looks good you know which colors these colors match this color, you know, just kind of arrange things."
"It's almost like my hands are guided. I don't have any idea what I'm doing. But when it's done, it's like, Wow, did I do this?"
Making jewelry may not have been Camisha Jackson's lifelong dream. But she hopes she's creating something others will always treasure.
"I hope when they put my jewelry on that they feel empowered, beautiful, confident."
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