When Erica Donovan found out she won the Simons-Fabrique 1840 $10,000 Indigenous Award, she SA国际影视传媒渓iterally woke up screaming.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淗onestly, I was shaking,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 just so nice to have your work validated, because ISA国际影视传媒檝e been going for a lot of years.SA国际影视传媒�

Her Tuktoyaktuk Skies earrings secured her the prize, recognizing her talent and creativity.

Since 2017, Donovan has been making jewellery under the trade name She Was a Free Spirit, in honour of her mother.

Drawing on her Inuvialuit culture, Donovan says she takes inspiration from the smaller things SA国际影视传媒� the trim on a parka during the drum dance, or the colours of a sunset.

It was this eye for detail that led to her creation of the Tuktoyaktuk Skies earrings. Donovan said she got the idea from a photograph of a sunset taken by former officer Chris Kelly.

SA国际影视传媒淗e took the most beautiful photos and I came across this one photo, which is where the inspiration of that design came from,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was on him like, I gotta bead this.SA国际影视传媒�

Her biggest challenge is getting material in and products out, with the exorbitant cost of shipping to the Arctic coast.

With the five-digit boost, Donovan says she can now stock her studio with all the beads and materials she could ever want.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e renovating the house and so I can complete my creative space. Now I can get all the things that I dreamed of getting, like storage space and more equipment to do other things. So itSA国际影视传媒檒l only get better from here.

SA国际影视传媒淗uge thanks to my local support. I mean, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 always been the roots to what I do.SA国际影视传媒�

Donovan has big ambitions for her work. One day she hopes superstar Jennifer Lopez will wear her earrings.

With that goal in mind, she says she keeps busy improving her work and finding new ways to get it in front of more eyes.

SA国际影视传媒淚 focus on the grind of levelling up,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭he greatest pleasure I get from this honestly are the messages I receive from the women who go out with my earrings.

SA国际影视传媒淚 get messages often about the compliments they receive and it feels good to make people feel good.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 the best feeling.SA国际影视传媒�

Visit her store at to purchase a pair of the award winning earrings or like on Facebook to follow her work.