At the age of 5, Midori Ferris Wayne and her family moved back to California from the
textile capital of Pondicherry,
India. At the
time, she aspired to be a flight attendant and "marry the pilot" -
much to the chagrin of her progressive parents. She also dreamed of becoming a
writer and illustrator, a goal which she still hasn't given up completely. In
addition to her earliest ambitions, jewelry has been a life-long love for
Midori, ever since her first macaroni necklace in preschool.
"I got into this business because of my passion for
antique jewelry," she says. Her fascination with the history of
jewelry was fostered as an employee of the Museum
of Fine Arts, Boston, in the Ancient Egyptian and Near
Eastern Art department. Midori's mentor there inspired her to create custom
designed jewelry using elements from broken or unwearable vintage pieces. Ever
since, she has made it her mission to create new and artful jewelry from
reclaimed materials and ideas.
Midori creates her earthy, organic designs in her studio in Sonoma County, California,
overlooking the rolling hills of vineyards and heirloom Gravenstein apple
orchards. She says it is idyllic: "Everything about this place is
paradise."