NOVICA Artisan Ruth Hammond
Ruth Hammond
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“My name is Ruth Hammond. My friends say that I’m result-oriented, highly ethical, and have a love for beautiful things. I was born in 1986 in Osu, a neighborhood in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
“My love for fashion and beautiful things drove me to enroll in a fashion school for four months. I perfected my craft by watching videos on the internet, picking up skills and techniques. I use recycled plastic, glass beads, stones, and cotton fabric printed with African motifs. I purchase them from the local market.
“I feel very excited when threading the beads through the yarns. I love working with my needles and pencils when drafting patterns and stitching for the perfect combination, bringing each piece to life. It is quite challenging to achieve specific designs. Sometimes, a bead or cut of fabric inspires its own design. This might sound strange, but it is very true. Mostly, I get inspiration from nature and my imagination. My mom and cousins help thread the seed beads.
“Starting on my own was quite tough, since I was the sole financier. But, I was determined to do this and am very glad that I didn’t quit. It took me five solid years to get a stable job after graduating from the university. Two years into the job, I enrolled into a fashion school in a quest to achieve my long-awaited dream of owning my own fashion brand. Right after I enrolled into the fashion school, however, the company I worked for folded, so paying my tuition fees was a huge challenge. I had a discussion with an old friend, showing them some beadwork art I had made for school, and they told me about NOVICA. I am so excited about the NOVICA platform. I hope to reach millions of people worldwide to sell my ideas and share my beautiful designs.”