By Anna Frisk
For an artist, the curious and otherworldly landscape of Turkey’s Cappadocia landscape can offer an instant zing of inspiration. For Leonie Zikos, a French artist turned jeweler, it was exactly that.
“I’m a painter and the first time I came here I felt really inspired. I found myself coming back as often as I could, until I decided, why not move here?” said Leonie.
That was a year and a half ago. Nestled around several fairy chimneys, her studio and store, named Shooting Star, now attracts international attention. It’s easy to see why. Walk inside and atop reworked wooden tables and benches sit a mesmerizing array of unique jewelry. In Turkey, souvenirs consist largely of tourist kitsch, making Shooting Star even more unique.
“I go to special jewel markets around the world to collect the most exclusive pieces to make my jewelry. It has to be something special,” said Leonie.
Her particular style is best stated with her signature piece. That is, necklaces adorned with meteorites. Real ones, too. It’s a statement few can make. The process is dependent on star hunters who go in search of meteor debris that has fallen thousands of years ago around the world. Each small chunk she buys comes with a certificate of authentication and discovery, too.
And that’s not all she offers, examine a few displays and you’ll see jewelry decorated with rare gemstones and crystals, antique beads and even butterfly wings. All of which, as Leonie says, can be customized upon request.
Her Etsy shop, In Search of Kassiopeia (ISOK), is devoted to Greek mythology. As the story goes, Kassiopeia was a beautiful goddess sent to the sky for her arrogance and vanity. Now she can be found in the night sky, as a constellation, or in Leonie’s jewelry.
Currently between countries and homes, Anna is spending her summer flitting between Turkey and the Greek isles in pursuit of work exchanges. Born in America, she has since developed an affinity for the life of a modern nomad. She writes about offbeat travel experiences, foodie discoveries and the rapture of nature at her blog, Cut the Kitsch.
Shooting Star Jewelry Photos by Anna Frisk