From Sopuerta with love: the art of making sustainable jewelry and decoration

MARY CALVO

A little less than a year ago, Sonia Castán and Sendoa Calleja got fully involved in their most personal project. With the aim of giving value to local and artisan creation and developing a concept of conscious consumption, Kéyah was born, a firm aimed at lovers of jewelry and decoration. Sonia is from Sopuerta and was finishing her degree in Fine Arts when Sendoa, a native of Galdakao, found herself in a personal moment in which she wanted to change her job, her life. This turning point was a good time to start from scratch with a new illusion. Thus, in the long summer afternoons they began to fantasize about the idea of ​​not contributing more polluting products to the world and began to shape a series of designs that, little by little, would give their signature their own identity. "We were clear that we would create objects with sustainable materials," they argue. Now, from their workshop in Sopuerta, they mold their new dream with care.

After searching for a name that represented their values, they found the term 'Kéyah', which means 'Earth' in the Native American language. "This name gives meaning to our project, since a large part of the objects we create are made with clay," they comment. In addition, for the brand logo they have kept that of their family, who dedicated themselves to ceramics for many years. Since that November 18, 2018 in which they began their journey, their project has done nothing but grow.

In the field of decoration, they make furniture to order. "We love creating unique designs for each client," they say. In addition, they proudly reveal to us which is the star piece that is having such a good reception lately among the Biscayan public. These are headboards with a bohemian style that they make with recycled wood in their own workshop. "Each piece of furniture is assembled and transported by us, that way we can get to know our clients," they clarify, ensuring a personal and close relationship with each of the people who trust in their designs.

For his part, his way of understanding jewelry is based on ceramic pieces, with geometric shapes that follow a minimalist aesthetic impregnated with color. They are striking designs that, however, fit into all kinds of styles, from the most classic to the most daring. As they tell us, they find inspiration in nature, in artists such as Yayosi Kusama, in designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli or current brands such as Paloma Wool, turning each of their pieces into a story in itself baptized with its own name. "All our earrings have the names of female artists, some well-known and others not so well-known, each and every one of them inspires us every day," they comment. Apart from its aesthetics, the best thing is comfort. "Everyone is surprised by how light and comfortable they are," they say.

The colorful philosophy of his pieces did not take long to create the perfect symbiosis with the Biscayan brand Dossis Designs, led by Maialen Illescas. The union of these two creative parts gave rise to his new collection 'MINA'. 'We have found it very rewarding to work with her. Her clothes are very daring and colorful, and that has made us propose a different collection,' they tell us. And it is that the multicolored shirts and dresses of the Durango designer are the pieces of the puzzle that this new batch of Kéyah jewels was missing.

Sonia and Sendoa are active on social networks, where they show their work process every day. In addition, you can find their pieces in their online store and in various points of sale in the Bizkaia area. They are also usually present in well-known markets such as Dos de Mayo in Bilbao and Merkadito in Sopelana, with the aim of publicizing their handmade pieces and having a closer relationship with their customers, something that today, in full digital age and mass production, it is appreciated.