Hi, my name is Aya (she/her) and I’m the sole owner of Druid Nocturna!
I became fascinated with making jewelry when I was 17. I had just returned home from the renaissance festival with an earcuff made from crafting wire and I was so happy with it that I simply needed it in multiple colors. So I got some colorful wire of my own and attempted to reverse engineer the earcuff.
The execution was awful, but I definitely had the right idea so I figured I would get it right eventually.
After some practice and repetition I got a better grasp on wirewrapping and wanted to move onto other mediums such as chainmaille and eventually scalemaille.
My efforts paid off some years later when I was able to return to the renaissance festival with an entire arm of scalemaille. I was so pleased with myself that I began thinking about possibly sharing my art with others. A few months later, Druid Nocturna was born in October 2017.
A few months later, Druid Nocturna was born in October 2017.
After years of commissions from online friends around the world and gaining confidence in my growing arsenal of artistic mediums, I finally took a leap of faith- I was going to begin selling at live events.
My first ever table was at ProgPower in Atlanta, GA in June 2022 and I severely underestimated how successful Druid Nocturna would be. It was quite poetic to get my well-received start at a metal festival, because I had been an avid fan of the genre for so long that I spent years exploring how I could convey my appreciation for it in my own art.
I’ve even had opportunities to work directly with musicians, whether it’s creating a one-of-a-kind piece for an artist’s stage ensemble or teaming up with an artist to create a unique merch item to offer to their fans. But no matter the capacity, it’s been nothing short of a dream to be able to contribute to other artists’ visions that I’ve been a long-time admirer of.
So what’s next?
Simple- More metal, more crafting, more art. Druid Nocturna has given me the ability to go on more adventures, specifically metal adventures. I return home from those metal adventures with more inspiration to continue with my artistic endeavors. That inspiration inevitably leads to new ideas. And the process of bringing new ideas to life often requires learning new crafting mediums. In whatever time it takes me to master a new medium, it’s either time to return to familiar places for yet another year of metal adventures or I catch wind of a new metal adventure happening somewhere I have yet to visit…. and the cycle repeats.
Whether you watched me find my footing at the beginning of my path or we just met recently, your support is the reason I’ve made it this far and a huge reason why I want to keep going. I am eternally grateful for your support and your friendship.
