About Us

Animas is about adorning yourself with jewelry that makes you feel empowered to chase what slumbers deep in your soul. 

The name comes from the village in Mexico where my mother was born, Las Animas. In spanish, it means "the souls". Fitting, no? 

We believe that we are not meant to be just one thing in life. We are not meant to be like everyone else, to always follow the paths laid out for us. We hope our jewelry serves as a gentle reminder and a source of confidence to follow your own north star. 

I am the founder and designer of Las Animas!

I’m a multi-disciplinary artist living in Chicago. Currently, my artistic practices include graphic design and illustration, jewelry design, and photography. I’m passionate about being a “jack of all trades”, of dabbling! Each practice informs the other, and more importantly, I refuse to be put in a box. 

This is my story, and the story of how Animas came to be:

Growing up in Wisconsin, I always thought I would be a doctor. Coming from a family of immigrants, this is not unheard of. Despite always being a creative and finding immense joy in my creative practices, I never considered art as a career path. Doctor. Lawyer. Engineer. These were the “safe” paths. Hard work, absolutely, but guaranteed money and success. My freshman year of college, I abandoned my neuroscience career path one week before classes started. I had a pit in my stomach. 

I knew this wasn’t me.

(I didn't even even like science and math that much. That should have been a red flag)

I spent my freshman year at that college taking gen-eds before completely transferring to an art school, where I studied a multitude of things, mainly focusing on design. While in college, I started taking an interest in jewelry. It started with me taking apart my own pieces, usually turning random charms into jewelry. I eventually got a job at a jewelry store, where I learned about gemstones and different methods of stringing beads and constructing jewelry, and I really liked it. I loved the creative process and the satisfaction of being able to wear my own creations.

 I started to feel the tug towards something that I had wanted for a long time – to build my own brand. For the longest time, I didn’t know what that brand would be, but it finally started to take form. After that, I took some beginner metalsmithing classes. And shortly after that, Las Animas was born.

To be real with you, I didn't start the way a lot of people would say you should start a business. I had one product, the Paula Hand Chain (named after my mama). I had no business plan, not even a five-year plan. 

My plan? Just start.

And I think that was the most important thing I have done in my business. I started this in 2022 and in these four years since, I have learned so much. Things look different now. The branding is different, my ethos is different, and me and the brand have a purpose. A north star, if you will.

I felt shame in choosing the path of art as a career for the longest time. I felt that I was throwing away the opportunities my parents had worked so hard to provide me with. Only recently did I realize that yes, there has never been a neurosurgeon in the family before. But there's also never been an artist. One who chose art as a career. My north star is to break that cycle of expectation and shame. To create, make a life out of it, and show future generations that they can chase whatever it is that lights a fire in their soul. 

and you can, too.