Areeyal Goodwin

If you’ve had the opportunity to see the Broadway play Stick Fly, you may have noticed the cast wearing amazing jewelry that you couldn’t help but want to include in your own bauble collection.

I was amazed to find out the person behind the creations was Philadelphia native Areeayl Goodwin, Senior at Howard University majoring in Theater Arts/Acting. With the help of her professor, Reggie Ray, who is also the costume designer for Stick Fly, Goodwin was able to get her work seen by thousands of art enthusiasts.

“Professor Ray has always admired my work. He’s so hard, he never accepts anything [laughs]. So when I asked him if I could help him with Stick Fly and he accepted, I was honored and surprised. And he immediately put me to work. I learned a lot about intricate design working under him.”

Next to theater, Goodwin says she sees herself creating one-of-a-kind pieces for years to come. When ordering her jewelry, custom orders are best because she doesn’t sketch out her designs. “You can tell me you want something amazing and because I design off the top of my head, you’ll be the only one in the world with that design. It’s actually harder for me to replicate things. The things I have on my website–I can replicate.”

When Goodwin designs she does it big–literally. Traveling as far as Ghana to collect glass beads and rare stones, Goodwin says she creates with the very best of materials so that women can wear them all day. “I don’t use plastic, I like using copper,brass, cock feathers and aluminum at times.”  

She has customers as far as Israel and as near as Washington, D.C., but perhaps her eyes are set for the stars as she strategizes on how to place her designs on the ears of two of her favorite women – Tracee Ellis Ross and Erykah Badu.

Goodwin credits actress Kim Coles for supporting her benefit, Love for the Congo,where 100% of the proceeds go to the women victims of rape and war in the Congo. Other supporters include Miko & Titi of Miss Jessie’s, natural hair care blogger Afrobella and songtress Frankie Davis.

Goodwin’s passion and determination to succeed makes her our Young Taskemaker of the Week. She’s come a long way from the craft store where she bought her first materials that helped her create her first pair of earrings in high school. She humbly tells me that anything is possible and compares her work ethics to that of Paul Robeson. “Paul Robeson did everything, he was a football player, an actor, activitst, singer. Here I am juggling school, acting and designing. It’s hard but I’m doing well and it can be done.”

Visit www.BeadsByaree.com for designs and orders. Follow her on twitter at @beadsbyaree. View more of Goodwin’s designs below.