Blake Sierra Makes Eco-Friendly Accessories That Mother Nature Would Wear

For Blake Sierra, everything can be art—or, at least, a conduit toward creating it. The self-taught artist from Newport Beach says she’s inspired by everything she sees, including the people she meets, the places she travels to and nature. The multitalented 21-year-old creates fascinating jewelry using bits of trash, beads, sea shells and other objects, instantly turning them into wearable, unconventional treasures fit for any free-spirited, eco-conscious person’s wardrobe.

Sierra has been making art since an early age, diving into ceramics, painting psychedelic, surrealist images on canvas and community murals in the area; working with leather and design; and sculpting. But living in Newport Beach makes her especially attuned to environmental issues that affect the coastline and water. Regularly tapped to create work for nonprofit organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation (inlcuding the Ban the Bag campaign, which achieved victory with the passage of Proposition 67), Sierra has been making a difference through her jewelry. Most of the materials she uses are friends’ finds at beach-cleanup sites, such as plastics, water bottles, scraps and wires; she also scours the internet for leads on items thrown away on the street. “I just take things and make them beautiful works of art, even though most people wouldn’t see that they’re capable of being that,” Sierra says.

There’s no stopping this tenacious indie artist, who has big plans on the way. In addition to her own small business, Sierra plans to build a nonprofit to set up more beach cleanups and teach classes on making jewelry. She’s also vying to open up an art gallery/vintage clothing store. In the meantime, you can check out her exquisite handmade pieces via her Depop store (@psychorags) or Instagram (@blakesierra), where you can best contact Sierra for accessories of which Mother Nature would be proud.