A Gift By Gaia was established by Holly McSweeney in 2017. Inspired by nature's healing qualities, she began hand crafting unique crystal talismans on the kitchen table. There she was able to create her own haven where she could channel her existence as a Solitary Witch, Pagan and Celtic heritage into her craft.
Holly had a vision of jewellery she wanted to wear that represented her Pagan spirituality and deep connection to nature, but couldn’t quite find it anywhere.
Growing up in London, she found the fast paced city life was sidelining these passions and so she longed for a way to creatively express herself, and to leave the 9 - 5 lifestyle working a draining job for someone else.
“A Gift By Gaia is as much a healing process for me as it is for my customers. Making my art is a form of deep meditation for me. As someone who has suffered with anxiety my whole life, sculpting provides me an opportunity to be completely present. I often receive messages from my customers saying how being in the company of a piece has helped them see their own unique magick and given them a visual symbol to reflect on the beauty of nature. This is all I ever dreamed of making possible for other people, and I feel a little emotionally connected somehow to people all over the world! This for me defines magick,” says Holly about her work.
“I love the versatility of polymer clay, and I have recently been working on a larger scale with my OOAK Art Dolls. Each one comes with a short story, which I really feel they write themselves. It might sound strange, but I don’t really plan how they will manifest, they just happen!" she says.
This whole creative journey is Holly's full time job and we totally understand that she will never grow tired of saying it. “It’s taken everything for me to get to this stage, and some days I feel like I’m only just getting started,” elaborates Holly.
And what advice would she give to those looking to pursue their creative passion as a source of income? “Be patient, tenacious, and focus on quality over quantity every time. There is room for every artist in the world and there are people out there who value your work.” Very wise and encouraging words, thank you Holly!
