The Extraordinary, Colorful, And Unique World Of Jewelry By Artist Katia Rabey, ‘Rabeyka’

I met Katia Rabey at College while studying jewelry design. She was one year my senior, and was about to graduate. I remember being in my second year back then, holding Katia's Graduation project in my hands and being astounded by the multicolored, intricate and highly detailed, and conceptual piece. Ever since I knew that Katia's creations were 'right up my alley', so allow me to introduce you!

Rabey, An Artist, Jewelry Designer, Mother, Advocate, and many more titles I can label, is of Russian heritage and had immigrated to Israel before and after the war broke out. During her time post studies in Russia, Rabey had taken part in organizing Jewelry exhibitions and groups such as the '9 March Project'. I, myself was also invited to take part in these exhibitions which occurred in Moscow, and Saint Peterburg and went on to other Slavic and European states.

The Exhibitions that Rabey took part in aimed to encourage discussions on 'Taboo' or controversies and other sensitive topics back then (2019-2020) and stood out as a beacon of light in the darkness that is Russia and its oppressive regime. The exhibitions talked about Feminism, Gender, Borders, Sexuality, War, Peace- You name it. Many various and intriguing topics were brought on in jewelry form and were curated extraordinarily by Rabey and other Colleagues; Mrs Starikova and Mrs. Pavlovskaya. Rabey and her colleagues looking back now had paved the way for something that was not only unspoken of but also unheard or even denied in Russia in Jewelry form. I can assure you that it was a very tough mission for Mrs. Rabey to get the necessary permissions to conduct such exhibitions and also got her fair share of hate back.

However, Katia Rabey, A Senior at 'Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, did not let the Covid epidemic, nor the War with Ukraine stop her from letting everyone know her thoughts and stances, or even questions and debates on topics. Doing all of this using jewelry as a medium is not an easy task, but Rabey's big to small, colorful works can speak volumes. Rabeys works can be serious, sad, happy, imaginative and fantastic, and humorous- she displays a wide range of emotions in her works as much as color.

More info: Etsy | Instagram

15 PHOTOS

#1 Katia Wearing Big And Bold 'Wanted' Earrings

Katia Rabey is a freelance jewelry designer and owner of her own brand 'Rabeyka' which offers playful, colorful, yet meaningful and unique pieces that you not only wear on your body but also resonate with. Rabey can customize anything, from self-portraits, Jewelry inspired by your house pets, child, grandmother, a Movie, a sentence, or a song. Katia's inner world is incredibly vast and original, this can be seen in her works. I see Katia as a pioneer, she constantly redefines jewelry, whether in her original way of thinking or combining parts, in her colorfulness or material choices. Rabey's Pieces are kinetic, fidgety, humouristic, and bold and trash is Katia's treasure.

I invite you to come with me down the rabbit hole which is the magical world of 'Rabeyka' Jewelry. You can shop her products or customize anything, through Katia's Etsy Shop.

#2 Katia's Self Portrait- Necklace

She once created her own wearable self-portrait! The best part is both Katia and her portrait pendant can have the same earrings to match. Jeeze even her giant pendant has earrings? how cool is that?

#3 Orange Cat/Tiger Pendant

#4 Turquoise Doggy Pendant

#5 The Blue Puppy Earrings

There was a character from an old Soviet cartoon called “The Blue Puppy”, rather a tragic figure. In my childhood, everyone used to giggle when hearing Puppy’s tragic song “I was hurt by evil fate, oh why am I blue!” because “blue” as an adjective was widely used in Russian slang to mean “homosexual”. Well, this new puppy on my earrings is not hurt by evil fate, he went through therapy and he feels perfectly fine with who he is, living his best life blinking lazily at us with his pink Swarovski eyes.

#6 Red White And Blue Pendant With Hands

#7 On Body- Pendant

#8 Meet The Person Behind The Jewels, As Colorful, Vibrant, Sophisticated Just As Her Works

Jewelry Designer and Artist- Katia Rabey, ' Rabeyka' Wearing her big pink arc necklace stating to everyone that her originality is definitely not a phase.

#9 Pink Blue And Yellow Flower Rings

Katia loves when pieces are interactive - you can play with them, change them, rotate parts, etc. There are mono-earrings with funny characters whose heads you can swap creating weird new hybrids, there are colorful signet rings with rotating flowers, there is a gender-bender brooch with rotating parts that help you create new genders; and there is, of course, utterly craze and spectacular “Silly Village” series where each piece depicts life stories of silly people.

#10 Close Up

#11 Quarantine Day 3- Steampunk Ring

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Rabey challenged herself to create one ring a day using only the things she could find at home. She made a total of 80 rings without missing a day!

#12 Quarantine Day 35- Bird Ring

#13 Quarantine Day 64 - 'Disgusting Sweets' Ring

#14 Talking About Constructs- Rabeyka

#15 Little Alien Earrings