Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Valerya Kanonov of Downtown LA

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Valerya Kanonov. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Valerya, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My mornings are a mix of family, quiet moments, and creativity in motion. The first 90 minutes usually belong to my family – getting my kids ready for school, chatting over breakfast, and that little morning chaos that somehow feels so right.

Once the house is quiet again, I make myself a cup of coffee and step into my studio. I start by opening the curtains wide – I need the light to create, it sets the mood for everything that follows. Then I take a few quiet minutes to look at the gemstones waiting on my desk, check my messages and emails, review the list of orders, and decide which pieces I’ll bring to life that day. ✨

Those early moments remind me to slow down and stay grateful – for my family, for my craft, and for the chance to build beauty with my own hands.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Valerya Kanonov, the hands and heart behind Valltasy – a jewelry studio where every design begins with a gemstone that sparks a feeling. I do everything myself – from hand-selecting the gems and designing each piece to photographing, packing, and sending it out into the world. It’s a true labor of love.

My work is all about color, light, and emotion. I’m endlessly fascinated by the way gemstones seem to hold little universes inside them – Moonstones that glow like misty skies, Opals that look like endless sparkle and multi gemstones that allow me to create bursts of joy. I design with the intention that every piece carries a bit of happiness and poetry – something personal, not just pretty. ✨

What makes Valltasy special, I think, is that it’s very human. There’s no team or factory – it’s just me, my tools, and my stones. Each piece has a story, and so do the people who wear them. Right now, I’m diving deeper into metalsmithing, learning to bring even bolder ideas to life in solid gold – it feels like discovering a new language to express beauty. 🌙

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think what breaks the bonds between people is often silence – the moments when we stop truly listening, or forget to see the person behind the words. Distance can begin quietly, not with arguments, but with the absence of empathy, time, or attention.

What restores those bonds, always, is kindness. It’s the small gestures – a message, a shared memory, a sincere “how are you really?” – that weave connection back together. In my work, I see this all the time: jewelry often becomes that bridge between people, a way to say something words can’t. Love, gratitude, remembrance – those feelings shine through, and they have a way of healing what was once apart.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back the most is the fear of not succeeding – of pouring my heart into something and finding out it wasn’t enough. As an artist, so much of what I create feels personal, almost like a piece of myself, and sharing it with the world can be both beautiful and terrifying.

For a long time, that fear made me hesitate – to take risks, to dream bigger, to believe that my work deserved space. But I’ve learned that growth only happens when you move through that fear, not around it.
Every time I face it, I remind myself that success isn’t about perfection – it’s about courage, persistence, and staying true to your own voice.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m deeply committed to the belief that beauty has meaning – that it can comfort, inspire, and remind us of hope, even in small, everyday ways. Through Valltasy, I’ve been working for years to create jewelry that carries that feeling – not just as decoration, but as something emotional and lasting.

It’s a lifelong project for me: to keep handcrafting pieces that hold stories, to make art that connects people, and to stay true to slow, mindful creation – even in a world that constantly rushes. I don’t know how long it will take to build everything I dream of, but I know I’ll keep going, one gem, one spark of light at a time.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing? 
I think I would regret not giving myself enough freedom to explore – to try, to create fearlessly, and to see where my curiosity could lead. I’ve spent so much of my life balancing responsibility and creativity, and while I’m proud of that, I know the moments that stay with me are always the ones when I allowed myself to dream without limits.

If I ever look back with regret, it won’t be about what I failed at – it will be about what I was too afraid to begin. So I try, every day, to choose courage over comfort and to keep creating from the heart, even when it’s uncertain. That’s where the magic always hides.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.valltasy.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/valltasy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Valltasy
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@valltasy
• Other: https://www.threads.net/@valltasy