NEWS & NOTES Q&A
Junior jeweler
Madbury teen raises dyslexia awareness with jewelry AJ Bellabona of Madbury hasn’t even finished high school yet, but he’s already received a U.S. trademark and launched an e-commerce site for his homestead jewelry business, AJ Made, LLC. The 16-year-old, who will enter his junior year at Oyster River High School in Durham this fall, produces custom jewelry pieces like rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and even wedding bands. Bellabona has struggled with dyslexia for as long as he can remember growing up; these challenges, he said, originally inspired him to tap into his creative side. The “J” in the official logo of AJ Made is reversed to raise awareness for dyslexia, and 50 percent of all the sales of hats bearing the logo is donated to NoticeAbility, a nonprofit dedicated to helping students with dyslexia. You can shop for his custom-made jewelry online at madebyaj.com. How did you originally become interested in creating jewelry by hand? During a shop class in sixth grade, I was able to work with metals. I focused on pewter. I actually started with making pewter hearts that I wanted to make my mom for Valentine’s Day. Then from that, I went to using different metals for basic things like rings. That summer, my grandpa got me a job in a jewelry store, Bill & Bob’s [Fine Jewelry] in York, Maine, and I was connected AJ Bellabona. Courtesy photo. with an instructor, just learning things and making new stuff. by email and we can custom make it for you. It depends on the piece, but it could Do you specialize in any one type of be something that I could change out realstone or jewelry piece? ly quick if we have it in stock. The harder I have a studio in my house, and that’s pieces take a little more time. where I do most of the work. Lately, I’ve been doing some of the more challenging What has living with dyslexia been like pieces, like crystals and gold items. The for you? Do you think people have misgold is just really fragile and it melts real- conceptions about it? ly easily, so I like to practice it [with] silver Dyslexia impacts people on different before I do it. The harder stones like dia- levels in different ways. It varies dependmonds, emeralds and rubies … require a lot ing on the person. For me, I’ve struggled of concentrated effort to make. We actual- with reading. It’s not as big of an issue as it ly get the stones from gem shows that we used to be, but I worked really hard in eleattend. There was an international gem mentary school and middle school [to learn show down in Boston that we just went to. to read]. One very common rumor that I’ve My first really big accomplishment was heard is that people think it’s about mixwhen I made a wedding band for my aunt, ing up your Ds and Bs and things like that, who was just getting married at the time. which isn’t the case. That was when I was around 13 or 14. Some of my more abstract pieces are crystals that What’s the next step for you? Any plans I’ve been inspired to do while on family to move forward with AJ Made, LLC once vacations, like when I went to Sonoma. I you finish high school? have a piece for different places I go to. I’m definitely going to be pursuing this more. I want to try to get a gap year … Where can people find your jewelry? between high school and college … to What is available on the e-commerce site? focus on expanding. Right now, I’m interI am in stores in New Hampshire, Maine ested in getting my gemology degree and and California. The store in New Hamp- also a business degree. A gemology degree shire is called Making Faces and it’s in basically just helps you identify any stone Portsmouth. Then I’m in my aunt’s store, and learn about how they are formed, andLogo B it’s called Wheat. There are stores in York, to be able to tell what’s real and what’s Maine and Santa Monica, [California]. fake. The website just launched and with that, — Matt Ingersoll we’re focused on custom orders and sentimental pieces, and trying to focus on What are you into right now? getting more stuff to other different stores. I’m interested in sports. I really enjoy You can order whatever we have in stock playing soccer and hockey. I also like to off the website, or you can put in a request ski and surf.
YOU NEED SPACE?
WE’VE GOT IT!
PARKING • OFFICE • ASSEMBLY • STORAGE
SAFE • SECURE • MAINTAINED In downtown Manchester at the corners of Chestnut • Merrimack & Pine Next to the Federal Building Across from the Courthouse & Fire Station And near a bus stop!
3000 – 4000 Sqft. ASSEMBLY SPACE Perfect for School, Church, Theatre groups and more
with Stage, Lights & Sound, Small Kitchen, Offices, Private Entrance & Facilities, and parking!
ChestnutStreetSelfStorage.com Safe. Secure. Convenient.
Chestnut St. SELF STORAGE
351 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH
603-770-5400
chestnutstreetselfstorage@gmail.com
127858
HIPPO | JULY 18 - 24, 2019 | PAGE 7