Our Story

My dad and uncle, Roark and Ryan Gourley, built the first three-story Sawdust booth as teenagers in 1969. My grandpa Donald, an engineer, approved the booth plans with his architectural stamp!

I launched Anya Elise in 2023, eager to continue the family legacy of making art, as well as determined to make quality, affordable, and sustainable jewelry.

Artist Statement

Chronicling the musings of childlike wonder, my creative process is steeped in the enchantment of G-d’s creation all around us. I immortalize the very acorns beneath your feet, the seashells between your toes, the feathers locked away in musty cigar boxes full of secret treasures. My jewelry invites you to wear the wares of my treasure chest—whether they be frog cushions, fairy hats, or pirate dollars.

As you carry the treasures of Laguna with you, remember the beautiful gift we’ve been given in life itself. A leaf isn’t just a leaf; a shell is not just a shell. Each morsel of creation is a celebration of the work of the very hand which breathes our very life into us. May the stories impressed in my work echo G-d’s love within and without you forevermore.

Anya Elise Gourley, artist and founder