Meet Danielle Ortega | Owner. Designer. Maker. Mama.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Ortega and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I remember being drawn to crafting and creating things with my hands since I was a child. My first-generation identity is one that I carry with me daily. It is one of the invisible identities that remind me where I come from and that the lens through which I view the world is valuable. I am a daughter of immigrant parents who made brave decisions so that I may have choices in my lifetime. I am proud that I represent them and my community as a woman of color, a Latina, with a graduate degree. Native to the beautiful Santa Maria Valley where we are known for our agriculture community and our delicious strawberries, I was raised to value supporting others. I am a servant and transformational leader.

It was around 2018 that I returned to this hobby of running my small business as a way to explore my creativity. I chose to pursue becoming an artist because I have a passion to create something unique and beautiful. I am a hard worker and for that reason wanted to create opportunities to celebrate other hard-working women by adorning them with jewelry.

I have loved the flexibility I have found in my artistic work. I wear several metaphorical hats in life. I serve as an educational administrator at a university, I am an independent coach & consultant, I am a maker, I am a partner, and I am a new mama. I know so many women, like me, who are working to break through the “glass ceiling” while trying to balance living their lives.
Making jewelry has given me the opportunity to inspire women to bring their whole selves wherever they go. I want them to feel powerful at work, to feel gorgeous at brunch, running errands, or at home.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My life’s journey has never been smooth or easy, and as soon as I acknowledged it, I was able to feel a deep understanding. I am a believer that things happen for a reason, even when we never know the reason why. Throughout my life, there have been many instances of navigating systems that were not created for someone like me. Similar to some folks reading this, I have experienced the revolving pain of loss, classism, sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination. I keep my head held high and approach each situation with courage. My life’s journey isn’t solely me walking alone. I do everything I can for the family I am growing and breaking generational curses along the way.

Some artists may not admit it, but it takes courage to put your work out into the world to be judged. I am actively practicing courage by creating jewelry. I have become a reputable seller on Etsy with nearly hundreds of online sales and I have become a top shop for gifts with 5 stars. Prior to giving birth to my rainbow baby, I participated in local vendor fairs which put me closer to 5,000 sales in person, over the years. The most challenging part of creating a brand isn’t actually making jewelry, it’s the marketing. Small business owners and makers, like me, struggle to compete with large corporations and mass-produced fast fashion. The only way I know how to overcome challenges is to face them head-on and keep going.

sol + luna jewelry started with a dream to be different. I make jewelry that is elegant, simple, and chic. “sol” represents the gold-toned pieces in my shop that bring life, energy, power, positivity, and clarity. “luna” is the silver-toned pieces in my shop that represent the rhythm of time as it embodies cycles.

SHOP SOL + LUNA JEWELRY: https://www.etsy.com/shop/solandlunajewelry805

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out to my amazing partner, Danny, who supports my dreams, our two rescue pups who make life so much more fulfilling, and our little one who is teaching me how to live life with courage and vulnerability.

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/solandlunajewelry805