A big opportunity has come up for an Edmonton jewelry designer.
Suzie Qualle’s designs were recently selected to be included as the showcase piece in the 2021 Cordillera International Film Festival VIP swag bag.
That means her jewelry will end up in the hands of internationally acclaimed filmmakers, celebrities, and academy members that are a part of the Nevada festival.
Qualle has been creating jewelry for about 10 years, but only started her business, Grounded Revival – Mind and Soul Jewelry in January of this year.
She designs Tasbihs, the Muslim equivalent of mala beads or rosaries, which are used in prayer and meditation.
Qualle uses natural, semi-precious stones such as turquoise, quartz and onyx to design her pieces, something that drew festival organizers to her company.
“It just aligned so well with what their festival stood for, and just kind of being where they’re located, in the mountains and by the water, a lot of that kind of represents those pieces,” Qualle said.
She started her company as a way to give back to the community, and donates five per cent of her profits to charities, focusing on organizations that deal with domestic violence.
Qualle isn’t allowed to say which celebrities her jewelry might end up in the hands of, but says everyone on the festival’s grand jury gets a swag bag, including producers and directors of top-rated TV shows and movies.
The Cordillera International Film Festival is Nevada’s largest film festival with an average attendance of 15,000 annually. It starts July 29.