Anna Crawford-Brown is designer and founder of Mara and Us Jewellery, a passion project started in 2017. She learnt jewellery making and stone setting at Melbourne Polytechnic to hand fabricate her limited edition and one of kind pieces from sterling silver and ethically sourced gemstones and minerals. Anna’s workshop is on Wurundjeri land and she is an accredited member of Craft Victoria.
Anna was always that kid waylaid by collecting rocks on family camping trips and her uncle was a keen gem & mineral fossicker in North Western Australia so she grew up around his collection of self polished stones and the adventure in the fossicking stories. Still collecting rocks today, Anna is a Victorian Gem & Lapidary Club member to learn to cut, polish and facet stones from their raw state.
The Mara & Us name comes from Anna’s heritage and the mythology of the nature worshipping Latvian people of Northern Europe. Mara is the primary goddess in Latvian mythology, responsible for the birth of the land, the waters, and every living being. Mara also looks after women on their journey from birth through to the afterlife. Anna’s mother is a proud Latvian woman and they pass traditions and stories to Anna’s daughters and together they are Mara & Us.
Mara & Us and has been a part of Melbourne markets, festivals and galleries in Victoria and NSW for the last 9 years. Meeting people who Anna’s work resonates with is a highlight for her motivation and has guided the evolution of Mara & Us. Anna is now excited to offer collaborations to design a truly unique and customised heirloom piece as the stones and silver provide the inspiration, and you create the story
