From Self-Taught Artist To South America: My LOTUS Artist Journey

I am honored to share that I have been selected as the LOTUS artist to travel with Creative Women of the World to Ecuador in January 2027.

This opportunity means more to me than I can fully put into words. It is not just about travel. It is not just about teaching. It is a testimony of what can happen when you honor the gift in your hands, even when you do not know where it will take you.

I started making jewelry when I was 19 years old because I could not find the style of jewelry I wanted to wear. I did not begin with a big business plan or formal training. I was self-taught. I learned by trying, making mistakes, experimenting, and trusting my creativity.

What started as a personal need became a lifelong creative journey.

Forty years later, that same craft is taking me to South America.

In January, I will join Creative Women of the World in Ecuador for their annual trip to celebrate graduates of their Unlocking Your Design program, visit women-owned businesses, and spend time with the communities they partner with. As the selected LOTUS artist, I will have the honor of leading hands-on creative workshops with women in those communities.

I will be sharing my craft, but I also know I will be learning just as much as I teach.

That is what makes this opportunity so special. Art is not one-sided. Creativity is a conversation. It allows us to connect across language, culture, background, and experience. Through jewelry-making, I hope to create a space where women can express themselves, tell their stories, and see the beauty in what they create with their own hands.

For me, jewelry-making has always been about more than adornment. It is about identity, culture, healing, confidence, and self-expression. Every bead, color, texture, and design choice can carry meaning. A handmade piece can hold memory. It can hold strength. It can hold joy. It can say, “This is who I am.”

Being selected for this trip as a self-taught artist and local business owner is deeply affirming. It reminds me that the work we do quietly, faithfully, and consistently can open doors we never imagined. It reminds me that creativity has value. It reminds me that our stories matter.

Another beautiful part of this journey is that it will be included in a documentary. A filmmaker will travel with us to capture the experience and help share the stories of women, creativity, entrepreneurship, and community.

To be part of a documentary is both humbling and exciting. It gives this journey another layer of meaning. This experience will not only live in my memory; it will be documented as part of a larger story about women creating, leading, teaching, learning, and building across borders.

As the owner of LakaiCreations, I see this as a moment of growth for my art, my business, and my purpose. This opportunity allows me to represent my local community, share my creative voice internationally, and bring back stories, lessons, and inspiration that will shape the next chapter of my work.

I am preparing for this journey with gratitude and intention. I want to show up with respect, openness, and a willingness to learn. I want the women I meet to feel seen, valued, and celebrated. I want the workshops to be meaningful, joyful, and rooted in connection.

This is more than a trip to Ecuador. This is 40 years of creativity coming full circle.

This is the 19-year-old version of me, who simply wanted jewelry that felt like her, being reminded that her decision to create something different mattered.

This is testimony. I am grateful. I am honored. I am ready for what this journey will teach me. Follow along with me as I prepare for Ecuador and document this experience with Creative Women of the World.