D & A Bijoux Creole

I am artisan, Orlando Francis and I own a craft business called, D & A Bijoux Creole. My business focuses on the hand- crafting of a wide selection of unique and innovative jewelry pieces and souvenir products made from local raw material. The materials used in my products are cow horn, bamboo, coconut, calabash, seeds and wood and most of these materials are carved or cut into a variety of shapes and sizes. My jewelry pieces include necklaces, chokers, earrings, bracelets and a variety of pendants, which can be personalized with your name or initials or they can be hand-painted b y me.

My love for art started while at high school when I did technical drawing. I wanted to do something different from the ordinary in designing, so I decided to do simple souvenirs like napkin holders, pen holders and wall units, out of plywood. Later, I decided to do more than the simple souvenirs that I had started off with. That's when I began using calabash to do pendants and paint - like horoscope signs. But I noticed that no one was doing any coconut jewelry; so I started doing it. This sparked the desire to begin doing crafts that I noticed existed in my surroundings; every natural-occurring thing I spotted, I wanted to put into my art work.

I have never been formally trained nor have I attended any art class. I learned on my own and improved myself as time went by, simply by the desire to improve upon my product.

I sell my products to tourist vendors, resorts, online via my Facebook page, and art shops but I don't have a specific location for vending. People meet me directly through events both in Dominica and the French Antilles.