Vanessa Irena (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and writer originally from New Orleans, LA. After many years in New York City, she moved upstate in 2021 and began teaching herself to make jewelry using the ancient method of lost wax casting in 2024. Her work is inspired by ancient charms and amulets, and the talismanic practices of the Medieval and Renaissance, including pieces made to precise astrological timing. Each piece begins as a hand-sculpted wax model crafted in her home studio in Athens, NY before being cast into solid sterling silver and bronze.