Voice of small business: Ali Amaro | Art Jewelry & Objects

A grandmother’s pearl, a eucalyptus branch, and a centuries-old bead washed ashore off the coast of Mozambique, all entwined with deliberate intricacy. “Jewelry can tell a story in many ways,” says Point Richmond jeweler and metalsmith Ali Amaro.

Come December, Amaro’s custom “Art Jewelry & Objects” shop and gallery in Point Richmond will turn one—one year of creating “wearable art,” hunched over a precision saw, hydraulic press, and torch flame. Her materials: anything from precious gemstones and sterling silver to repurposed trinkets and family heirlooms.

Amaro, who also has a handy MBA in her tool-belt, says each material has significance to a place—physical and in time. Her pieces, and many of those from the guest artists she showcases in the gallery, “create new narratives with objects from people’s lives, family heritage, the things we all have in a special box or drawer.”

She chose her Point Richmond location, tucked in a glass corner on Washington Avenue that splits into a gallery showroom and design studio, because of the area’s legacy of craftsmanship, as well as “the quirks and charms and unique nature of [Richmond’s] history.”

“I wanted to connect with other local artists,” the New Mexico-native says of her new home. Six years ago, she and her husband were living in Mozambique. “When the space became available, I thought it was the universe opening up for me.”

Ever since, Amaro’s been opening up to Richmond and beyond, weaving together the worlds of business, art, and fashion. “I want to create a reason for people to visit not just the gallery,” she says, “but this entire city, too.”

This is the first piece in Richmond Confidential’s upcoming series on the city’s small businesses. If you own a restaurant, an art studio, a barber shop, or a lemonade stand, we want to hear from you. Share your stories with us at feif1021@gmail.com