Who am I ?
I am Clara Del Papa, born in Venezuela and raised between South American artistic traditions and Italian culture, between architecture and my passion for jewelry. In this art form I have found a synthesis where technique meets poetry, and precision blends with expressive freedom—an encounter between creation and emotion.
Through this dialogue I have shaped a personal language, an intimate art that explores the bond between matter and emotion, gesture and thought.
For me, a jewel is never a simple accessory, but a sculpture that transforms the act of wearing into a sensory experience—where body, emotion, and art converge in a profound connection that transcends time and space, revealing both the intimate and the universal.
Where My Journey Start
My journey into the art of jewelry began amidst the scents and colors of Venezuelan nature, surrounded by horses, outdoor walks, and a wonder for all that is alive and surprising. The small details of everyday life shaped my childhood: as a child, I collected feathers, stones, seeds—anything that sparked curiosity—creating freely, guided by fascination for shapes and materials.
With the support of my parents, who nurtured my hands-on skills, encouraged adventures, and enriched my sensitivity through culture, travel, and creativity, I quickly learned that to create is to explore, observe, and transform the world around us.
Crossing the Threshold
It was in the atelier of sculptor Alexis de la Sierra that my journey took shape. There, I discovered metal as a language of expression, learned the fundamentals of goldsmithing, and entered a world defined by precision, gesture, and form. It was the moment when my dialogue with matter began, and when my fascination for the creative universe of jewelry first took root.
At the same time, my studies in architecture shaped the way I see and create: they taught me to read space, to balance lines and volumes, and to transform vision into structure. That foundation continues to guide my work today—where rigor and poetry converge in the gesture of making.
The Journey Within
Moving to Italy, I immersed myself in traditional goldsmithing to refine precision and form. Later, in renowned contemporary jewelry schools, I perfected techniques and expanded my creative voice. Each jewel thus becomes a reflection of my journey, weaving architecture, design, and goldsmithing into one. Wearing it is not just adornment, but a sensory and emotional encounter — a meeting between creator and wearer. Within this space of connection, my research unfolds as an ongoing exploration of beauty, emotion, and relation, where every creative act becomes an act of discovery and freedom.
