A trip to a bead shop in Chinatown when she was 17 sparked Ms Elaine Tan's passion for making jewellery.
Years later, after pursuing a master's degree in fashion and luxury brand management at Istituto Marangoni in London, Ms Tan (centre) attended a summer course in jewellery making at the nearby Central Saint Martins, an art and design college.
Making jewellery remained her hobby even as she graduated and worked in retail and brand management for four years, and she finally decided to quit her job to set up Amado Gudek, her jewellery brand, in 2014.
Ms Tan, now 31, uses eco-friendly bioresin for her jewellery, and creatively encapsulates other materials in resin, such as wood, fabric and plastic. "I always try to create something that is different from the norm, something conversational," she said.
Amado Gudek is currently available only at Gallery & Co at the National Gallery Singapore.
The innovative mother of one set up Resin Play in February, and has been offering courses for people who want to learn how to make resin art and resin jewellery.
She said: "I see myself both as an artist and an educator... Right now, I am concentrating on my role as an educator but, when I have more time, I would like to go back to being an artist and doing my craft."
Learn how Ms Tan creates jewellery from resin in this episode of Made in Singapore.
