Anu Designs by Nkrumah

e using mainly copper, brass, silver, gold, crystals, and gemstones. Texture, color, and boldness have become a trademark of ARMj. 99.8% of all ARMj designs have been touched and or textured with a hammer and are inspired through ancestral memory. Our techniques were learned while traveling thru the Caribbean and South America in the late nineties. ARMj was officially established in 2000 and developed a following with Brooklyn and Manhattan boutiques, New York’s fashion conscious, and by selling at nationally at shows and markets. Although over the years, we have acquired a large workshop space with some machine capacity to finish off designs. We maintain a connection to the everyday customer and keep ourselves in flow with the pulse of the street. We don't follow traditional or orthodox methods of making jewelry and seek to create standards of fashion and beauty aesthetic with our work. Our main focus is not the actual beauty of the work but on making a functionally wearable product that will last a lifetime. We believe that beauty will follow proper technique and functionality. Our earrings, even when large are always light and easy to wear. Everything is completely handmade using very little if any pre- fabricated products and finally our main goal to make sure that the client is happy and satisfied with our creations. ARMj now has a worldwide clientele. Testimonials from clients often speak of the empowered feeling and heightened confidence that they experience while wearing ARMj. ARMj has been worn by Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blidge, Wendy Williams on the cover of Jet and Rihanna in her “Rudeboy” Video. Features also include product placement in Un Vogue, The Hills Show, MTV Canada, Vibe Vixen, Fader, Essence, and The New York times. ARMj is available for purchase at anurockmetal.net. Founder/Designer Bio

Axovi Kodwo Nwala was born in New York and grew up in New Jersey. The jewelers' journey started in 1998 when Kodwo was in his mid twenties and decided to take a trip from his hometown of Birmingham, AL to Puerto Rico, then from Puerto Rico to Venezuela and Brazil. While in Puerto Rico a man by the name of Shamba overheard Kodwo and a friend planning the Venezuela portion of their trip. Shamba offered to teach Kodwo how to make simple handmade jewelry out of gemstones and jewelry wire. He said that this craft would help Kodwo to finance his trip. While traveling Kodwo met other jewelers who taught him how to work metal. Kodwo traveled the Amazon for five days. During that time he played dominoes on the upper deck with the South American Indians who also taught him how to turn brass and silver wire into classic jewelry designs. In 2001 Kodwo moved to Brooklyn. Once in New York, Kodwo quickly earned himself a name and a following in the fashion industry and among fellow artists for game changing designs and quality work. During the last 17 years, not more than a month would pass where Kodwo has not picked up a hammer and piece of copper. Kodwo has met and adorned almost all his favorite artists, sheroes, and heroes. That list would include the likes of Roberta Flack and Mary J Blidge to name a couple. In 2013, Kodwo met an Axosu (king) from the Monarchy of Ganlodo. He was commissioned to make the first Makpo and crown for a king outside the continent of Mawuyi (Afrika). Kodwo discovered that he was the descendant of a family of royal jewelers and was given the title Ganvibloto Gan Ganlodo which means Chief Jeweler to the Monarchy of Ganlodo. In February of 2015 Kodwo moved back to the south to a house in the quiet solitude of the country. Today, Kodwo continues to service a great wealth of clients from all over the world.