In a world where everything moves fast, where decisions are made on dashboards and where efficiency is king, I have found a refuge: creation, craftsmanship.
I live in the tech world. My daily life is punctuated by project management, detailed analyses, and rigorous methodologies. But at the same time, my hands are searching for something else—a return to the essential, to the material, to the slowness of the artisanal gesture.
A Bridge Between Two Worlds: Tech & Craftsmanship
Far from being opposites, these two worlds complement each other. The rigor of technology structures my creativity, while craftsmanship reconnects me to something more instinctive. When I create a lamp or a scented candle, there are no algorithms or performance metrics—only intuition, inspiration, and the feel of the materials.
It is in this contrast that I have learned to exist. One paves the way for me, the other leads me there. One is an inner journey, the other an exploration of the exterior. In reality, these two dimensions do not oppose each other but intertwine to give birth to something unique. The rationality acquired in the tech environment allows me to approach craftsmanship with a methodical approach, while the creativity of craftsmanship helps me infuse warmth and humanity into my daily life.
I like to think that each of my creations carries this duality within it. It is not just a decorative object, but a fragment of history, an encounter between precision and spontaneity, between reflection and feeling.
Travels and Roots
My roots also shape who I am. From Jamaica, where I was born and raised to the sound of Bob Marley, to the Ivory Coast, lulled by the voice of Alpha Blondy and the vibrant sun of the flower plantations, to Paris, the most beautiful city in the world, each culture, each trip has left textures, colors, and scents in me.
These fragments of life infuse my creations like an invisible imprint, a subtle blend of my origins which are also found in India and China.
Each place imprints itself on me like a sensory palette that, one day or another, finds its way into my creations. A shade reminiscent of the warm sand of an island, a scent evoking a subtropical sunset, a shape inspired by traditional sculptures encountered during a trip: everything becomes a source of inspiration.
Beyond aesthetics, these influences are also emotional. They tell of moments, sensations, and encounters. They are a tribute to the cultures that have shaped my journey and continue to fuel my imagination.
To Create is to Travel
Strolling the streets of New York, Singapore, Tulum, or Miami… browsing the bustling markets of Makati, Bangkok, or Delhi… These experiences nourish my world. Each place has its own energy, each scent a story. Through my creations, I wanted to capture these moments, these emotions, and transform them into objects that tell a story of a journey as much as they decorate a space.
For me, creating is an invitation to travel. Each lit candle is a doorway to another world. Each lamp illuminates not only a room, but also an emotion, a sensory memory.
I like to believe that my creations are the result of a dialogue between the material and me: the rattan, patiently woven, seems to vibrate under my fingers, recalling the interlacing of time and traditions. The wax, warm and malleable, traps scents of perfume before freezing into a dancing flame.
What part of my history, of my travels, can it reflect? The answer rarely comes immediately, but it is built, through gestures and trials that are eternal recommencements until perfection, my perfection.
Why do I create?
What I'm looking for, beyond the object, is an emotion. A scent that recalls a memory. A light that warms a room. An object that naturally finds its place in an interior, as if it had always been there.
Today, I juggle these two facets—the precision of technology and the freedom of craftsmanship. This balance, far from being easy, is nevertheless what nourishes me. It allows me to constantly explore new avenues and push my own limits.
Creating is also a way to share. Giving a handcrafted object is much more than just a product: it's sharing an intention, a story, a part of yourself. I like the idea that my creations can accompany moments in life, integrate into environments I can only imagine, become silent witnesses to precious moments.
I often find myself smiling to myself at the thought of one of my creations being an integral part of a setting in a nearby place or a faraway country. These atmospheres that I may never see, but that my creations inhabit. And it is in this idea that my greatest satisfaction lies.
I am MIYA, a craftsman registered in the Trade Register in France.
I invite you to join me on my creative journey.
Frenchman's Cove - Portland, Jamaica
