Jewelry designer Elin Weinstein was born in northern Québec and grew up in coastal British Columbia.  She is influenced by her Eastern European Jewish ancestors and profoundly inspired by the Indigenous Peoples she grew up with: the Cree of northern Quebec and the ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation of British Columbia. As a Master’s student in anthropology, Elin conducted fieldwork in Bali, Indonesia. She was drawn to the Balinese concept that some Art is alive—the Art inspired by the Gods. Having become a jeweler, Elin places her craft at the juncture between cultural scholarship and Living Art. Breaking away from traditional approaches to presenting pearls, Elin works them in unusual ways, seeking out unique contrasts. During a journey in Japan, Elin was delighted by Tokyo's vertical neon lights. Her visceral reaction to the lights inspired her to represent the colorful extravaganza in her art.  She turned to plexiglass for its bold colors, using it in carefully thought-out combinations to make jewels that inspire playfulness and joy. Elin will present two distinct collections, For the Love of Pearls and Techno Japan.