Dallas Museum of Art: Art Matters

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Patty

Art is really about how someone else makes sense of the world and their place in it…the viewer connects with the artist in such a way that the two agree to share their humanity, their hopes, their fears.
– Robert Hoffman, art philanthropist

My Omni Hotel room with a view of downtown Dallas.

I flew into Dallas yesterday late afternoon for a morning executive roundtable event to cover and will be hopping on a plane to go back home in the afternoon – a very short business trip. It was fortuitous that I flew out on a Thursday because the Dallas Museum of Art (1717 North Harwood Street, 214.922.1200) is open until 9pm on this day of the week. It was a short walk from the Omni Hotel to the museum district, and a much-needed one after a bumpy descent and landing.

Cindy Sherman: Self-portrait of women
in society
DMA offers free general admission, which is really a gift. Admission to the two exhibits currently on display, Cindy Sherman (through June 9) and Chagall: Beyond Color (the only U.S. venue, through May 26), were $16, which is a bargain in the museum world. I will admit that I didn’t know who Cindy Sherman is, though she is “widely recognized as one of the most important contemporary artists of the last 40 years, and is arguably the most influential artist working exclusively with photography.” Throughout her career, Sherman has taken self-portraits that are a commentary on women in society. She is known for a series of black-and-white self-portraits called “Untitled Film Stills,” in which she portrays herself as various B-grade film characters – the vamp, the housewife, the actress, and so on. The exhibition included a series of recreations of her in famous paintings, as well as a series of beyond-life-size portrayals of the one-percent women in their wealthy splendor. It reminded me a little of Diane Arbus, who is famous for having taken photographs of “marginal” people in our society, because I came away from this exhibit feeling spooked and discomforted, which I’m sure Sherman would feel is a compliment to her art.

Dallas Museum of Art.

Marc Chagall: Way beyond color
I’m familiar with Marc Chagall, but seeing his paintings in person has given me a greater appreciation for his sense of color. Indeed, Picasso once said in the 1950s that when Matisse died, Chagall would be the only painter who understood what color really is. Chagall’s intense reds and blues have a life of their own. I sheepishly admit that I didn’t know Chagall did costume and set decorations for plays and ballets, both in his native Russia after the turn of the century and in New York City during WWII. I also didn’t know that he turned to pottery and collage later in his long career as another way to express himself. One quote of his was particularly moving to me: “Every artist has a homeland, a native town, and though other environments and spheres will exert their influence on him, he will remain forever marked by an essential trait: The scent of his homeland will always live in his work.” I was particularly drawn to his “Nude over Vitebsk.”

Quin Matthews and Sharon Benge share stories of their interviews at the DMA.

Art really does matter
I had the good luck to be in town on this particular Thursday. Locals Quin Matthews and Sharon Benge presented a 45-minute montage of interviews they had conducted with actors, writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, conductors, architects, dancers, and so on for their Art Matters radio show, a local show aired on WRR Classical 101, which debuted in October 1988. They are donating their more than 25,000 interviews and 100 hours of film spanning 25 years of covering the arts to DMA. One of DMA’s executives noted that it’s the single largest media gift, and DMA intends to make these available and searchable on the web so that these historic treasures are accessible to everyone. Stay tuned. (Attendees were given free CDs of interviews with various artists, which I look forward to hearing!)

Glass sculptures at the DMA.

I’ll share a few inspiring quotes that I got out of the snippets of interviews that were included in the montage. First of all, Quin Matthews is a filmmaker who devotes his life to telling stories. What I noticed right away in the interviews was that he is a good editor. He knew what to keep and what to leave on the cutting floor. It truly is an art to edit – what you leave out is just as important as what you show. How lucky for Matthews and Benge to have spent a quarter century learning about all of these artists and recording the artists’ own words for prosperity. And how lucky for their listeners through the years and now for everyone. Since college, I’ve harbored a secret desire to be a filmmaker, documentary and otherwise, as another medium for storytelling. For now, though, I’ll admire those who have really made filmmaking and storytelling an art.

Matthews and Benge didn’t just focus on local artists. They went to the ends of the world – The Czech Republic, Bolivia, China, Russia, and many other countries – to bring art to their listeners in North Texas. When I listened to the chamber choir, I was reminded of my time in choir in high school. I had forgotten how moved I could be, how my whole body responded and rejoiced when we sang Gregorian chants, Bach, even show tunes from the 1940s. I got the same shot of adrenalin and exuberance listening to classical music performed by the Dallas orchestra and other musical groups.

Happily, I was introduced to artists such as Rusty Scruby, who talked exuberantly about how math and the landscape that numbers make excited him. If you take a look at his art, you will understand how math and numbers are a part of his art. Vernon Fisher talked about how art is a way of understanding the world, how man makes maps, counts things, tries to make sense of the world, as a way to avoid death. Jean Lacey talked about how she wants people to look at art and respond. Dorothea Kelley, a musician who championed chamber music in Dallas, talked about how music can help your life by giving you joy, helping you out at times, and feeding you spiritually.

I came away from DMA nourished on a spiritual and creative level. Not a bad deal for a 36-hour business trip!

Spring break: Rejuvenating my muse

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Patty

There is no place for grief in the house which serves the Muse.
– Sappho, Greek lyric poet

A portrait of Kathy's daughter Fiona, surrounded by her mask (in frame) and vintage collection of vessels.

A portrait of Kathy’s daughter Fiona, surrounded by one of her handmade mask (in frame) and vintage collection of vessels on the desk.

On my last visit with my friend Kathy five years ago, we had talked about writing a renga together – an ancient Japanese form of poetry comprising a series of short verses linked into one long poem and composed in a collaborative fashion. When I returned to the Bay Area, she sent me detailed instructions on how to write a renga, along with a beautiful blank book. The idea was for me to start the first verse, consisting of three lines, and then send the book to her, and after she wrote her lines, she would send it back to me, and we’d start the process all over again.

The book sits on my shelf, blank. Even the band around it has never been removed. The rules of the renga seemed too complicated for me at the time, and then I was overwhelmed by my work and constant, snowballing deadlines and family obligations. When I reminded Kathy about the collaborative project, she didn’t remember. Despite the failed attempt to creatively collaborate and inspire one another, with the blame rightfully on me, this time we parted with another poetic project to dive into, though it was purely an act of spontaneity (more on this in a later blog entry). My stay with Kathy was meant partly to lift my flagging spirits and find my muse again. Little did I know that Kathy would be my muse this past weekend.

Kathy’s mural in the living room.

New music to listen to
I listen to the same limited playlist of artists – okay, mostly nostalgic bands from the 1970s and 1980s – on Pandora when I hop on my wind trainer-equipped bike in the early mornings. As the rain came down outside in Mount Vernon, we listened to what Kathy categorized as indie folk music. She introduced me to a handful of her and her son Patrick’s favorite artists via YouTube: John Butler Trio, The Decemberists, Mumford & Sons, and Zoe Keating. We were treated to John Butler’s Ocean on YouTube, and later on Skype Patrick, who had spent months learning the song, played it for us. It’s an amazing piece of music and quite the workout for the fingers.

Taking a peek inside Kathy’s homemade sketchbook.

New books to read
Kathy is a voracious reader, and through the years she has recommended books to me. She has a penchant for fantasy, and I remember some of her favorites in high school and college were The Hobbit and Richard Adams’ Watership Down. This time around, Kathy recommended poemcrazy by Susan Goldsmith Woodridge and Buffalo Yoga by Charles Wright. I was most interested, however, in Indiespensable, a membership program she belongs to through Powell’s Books. Every six weeks, she receives a newly published book, with a nod to independent publishers. The book is signed by the author, slipcovered, and accompanied by a unique surprise. One book had some connection to honey, and the book was packaged with a jar of honey. Another surprise was a box of chocolates. What a great program and a way for an indie bookstore to differentiate itself from the likes of Barnes & Noble and be just as mighty.

Steampunk-inspired wall art in Kathy’s living room.

Kathy’s latest sketchbook, which she bound by hand.

When we were at Village Books (1200 11th Street, Bellingham, 360.671.2626) a few days earlier, I relished leisurely walking through the store – something I haven’t done in years. I picked up the latest novel by Ruth Ozeki, Tale for the Time Being. It was signed and the clerk told me Ozeki had just given a reading at the store the weekend before! One of my recent favorite novels is her All Over Creation, which dealt with genetically modified organisms, among other themes. I made a vow to Kathy that I would dedicate time for reading, which means I have to schedule it, put it on my to-do list so it doesn’t get pushed aside by other pressing tasks.

Detail of the mural Kathy did for 1st Street Cabaret and Speakeasy, Mount Vernon, Washington.

The cover of Kathy’s hand-bound present to Peter.

Binding books by loving hands
Lastly, I was inspired by Kathy’s artwork, which is displayed all over her home – paper mache masks, murals, a wall hanging constructed of fiber and other mixed materials, an easel holding the early stages of a portrait of her 22-year-old daughter Fiona. She has painted murals for various community organizations and her most recent one is on display inside the 1st Street Cabaret & Speakeasy (612 S. 1st Street, Mount Vernon, 98273, 360.336.3012). Kathy took a class in book binding, and now binds her own sketchbooks. She recently finished her sixth book, which features a picture of her mother in a frame cast out of clay from another frame. She has covered other sketchbooks with thrift-shop finds – leather from old jackets and knits from sweaters, complete with the label tag on the cover. My favorite is a hollowed-out “book” she made for her husband Peter. Titled Peter’s Midnight Musings, the book features a working light, a notebook nestled in a box, and chains and gears, giving it a steampunk vibe.

The inside of the book Kathy made for her husband Peter.

I’m in awe of her talents and creative energy. My restful time in Mount Vernon seems long past, now that I’m in the middle of deadlines, soccer and baseball practices, an orthodontist appointment, tae kwondo lessons, tax season, and trying to squeeze in time for a blog. As Kathy and I hugged goodbye at the airport, my muse took a long drink from the well before diving back into my being. Refreshed, I meet those obligations head-on, muse on my shoulder.

Saying goodbye at the airport, while my muse leaps from Kathy back to me.

With sad eyes and flattened ears, Jeely, the family dog, says goodbye.

Meanwhile, back at the house in Mount Vernon, Jeely, the family dog, says goodbye with sad eyes and flattened ears.

Lunafest: Celebrating women

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Patty

When we get up from our seats and we walk away, we’re changed a little bit and hopefully for the better.
– Kit Crawford, CEO and co-founder of CLIF Bar and Company

In the past several weeks, I have been thinking a lot about violence against women in our communities, in various societies and countries, and everywhere, really. Of course, this has been going on forever, but my despair over the recent cases in New Delhi and South Africa seemed to demand a response from me, for which I had none. What else could I do as a person, a woman, and a mother beyond raising my son to respect women and raising my daughter to be empowered and have healthy self-esteem so that no person would ever take advantage of her and no situation would be beyond overcoming?

A few weekends ago, as I was walking my dog Rex, I came across a poster on a local storefront and read about Lunafest. I recalled receiving annual e-mails from the mom of my daughter’s classmate. Being overwhelmed and stressed during my busy work seasons, I never opened the e-mails, I’m embarrassed to say. What’s done is done, but I thought to myself, I would definitely go this year. In fact, in a serendipitous moment, I declared that this was my first response to my question to myself of how to respond to violence against women: Celebrate women and their creativity and achievements.

A mid-weight Zelda coat from Personal Pizazz (Berkeley, CA), comfortable walking boots, and Monserat De Lucca crossbody bag from Sundance is a perfect outfit for a film festival in early March.

Lunafest: short films by, for and about women was established in 2000 by LUNA, makers of the nutrition bar for women, to connect women, their stories, and their causes through film. The traveling film festival also serves as a fundraiser for the many communities that host it across the country. Lunafest’s main beneficiary is the Breast Cancer Fund, whose goal is to eliminate the environmental causes of cancer. The selected beneficiaries of El Cerrito’s Lunafest showing were the El Cerrito High School’s Information Technology Academy (ITA) and World Neighbors, an international development organization established to eliminate hunger, poverty, and disease in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. ITA, a small learning community within El Cerrito High School, prepares students for post-secondary education and careers in networking, database management, digital art, and web design.

Reception before the show
The East Bay Lunafast Organizing Committee held a VIP reception prior to the film screening at one of the committee members’ homes, which was just around the corner from the high school auditorium, where the films were going to be shown. I had the pleasure of meeting the evening’s emcee, Karen Grassle, whom many of my contemporaries will recognize as Caroline Ingalls, the mother on the television series Little House on the Prairie (1974-1982). I also met two of the featured film directors, who were slated to participate in a panel discussion with Grassle after the screenings. It energized me to hear them talk about their passion for their art.

Sharon Arteaga, Karen Grassle, and Jisoo Kim at Lunafest 2013.

Jisoo Kim, who studied animation in her native South Korea, is a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts MFA program and currently works as an artist for Disney Interactive. Her animated short, The Bathhouse, is a beautiful and lush audiovisual experience in which the bathhouse is the transformative venue for women of all shapes and sizes to achieve this uninhibited state of serenity. I appreciated her ability to move us all in our theater seats from feelings of exhaustion and stress to calmness and then vigor. I also appreciated the cultural reference for this transformation. It’s the same transformation I undergo when I lie down on my acupuncturist’s table, falling asleep while listening to soothing music in a warm room with a lavender pillow over my eyes and then waking up refreshed and ready to tackle the world again.

Sharon Arteaga hails from Austin, where she earned her bachelors in film at the University of Texas. Her short film, When I Grow Up, chronicles a morning in the life of a Latina mother and daughter who sell tacos on a route that takes them through refineries in Corpus Christie and ends at the girl’s school. In the panel discussion, Arteaga revealed that the film was an homage to her mother. As a daughter of immigrants, I very much appreciated how she depicted the conflicting views of the two generations without judgment or bias but with quiet generosity, and her understanding of how the immigrants’ dream enables their children’s dreams to be much grander and yet attainable.

Karen Grassle with my friend, Lisa, and her starstruck daughter Savanna, both of whom are fans of Little House on the Prairie.

Honoring nine films
The nine screened films, which were chosen from more than 900 entries around the world, were as diverse as they were impressive. You can see the trailer and more information on the films here. I enjoyed all of the films, but the one that was close to my heart was Canadian filmmaker Andrea Dorfman’s Flawed, which told in drawings the story of a woman who has a big nose and feels conflicted when she falls in love with a plastic surgeon. It reminded me of my own perceived flaws and the teasing I endured as a child for having a flat nose and full lips, which are typical Filipino traits. I recalled the times when one of the boys in elementary school taunted me by saying, “I’m going to hit you and give you a big nose. Oh wait, you already have a big nose,” or “I’m going to trip you and give you a fat lip. Oh wait, you already have a fat lip.” Never mind that he had pretty full lips, too. I contemplated, as the protagonist did, having a nose job as an adult. It also made me think of the time when I found my sister in the bathroom rubbing lemon juice and pulp into her face to lighten her skin, which she had learned from watching Jan Brady in the television show The Brady Bunch, who was trying to lighten her freckles. I was horrified because even as a child I understood that she was trying to erase who she was. In the same way the film’s protagonist learned to accept her big nose, I came to embrace my dark skin, my big nose, and my full lips as part of who I am, as part of my heritage.

I also enjoyed Amanda Zackem’s short film about Georgena Terry, who triumphed over childhood polio (I wanted to know more about this) and whose curiosity and tenacity led her to build bicycles that are custom-fit for women. Rebecca Dreyfus’s short film, Self-Portrait with Cows Going Home and Other Works, peeked into the life of Sylvia Plachy, a well-respected contemporary photographer whose Academy Award-winning son Adrien Brody wrote the original music for the film. Plachy has an amazing eye, and thus, an amazing portfolio of black-and-white photographs. New Zealander Louise Leitch’s Whakatiki – A Spirit Rising chronicled the rebirth of a silenced and disenfranchised wife after she takes a plunge into the waters of her youth. I was moved by the woman’s transformation toward emancipation. As she emerged, water dripping from the thick folds of her skin, she shed more than her clothes and regained a lightness of being in exchange.

The other films included Sarah Berkovich’s Blank Canvas, Sasha Collington’s Lunch Date (Great Britain), and Martina Amati’s Chalk (Italy). Blank Canvas celebrates a uterine cancer survivor’s decision to have her bald head beautifully decorated with henna. The humorous Lunch Date pairs an unlikely couple – a young woman who gets dumped by her boyfriend, who uses his 14-year-old brother Wilbur as the messenger – for an unexpected picnic in the park. Chalk chronicles the rites of passage of a young gymnast.

I came away feeling a rebirth of sorts myself. I was definitely invigorated. How can you not stand up and be excited to determine one’s next steps in addressing women’s issues after being empowered by the beauty conceived by nine amazing women filmmakers? All women, go forth and create beautiful things, and let us all celebrate all of our achievements. Only then can we all be uplifted.

P.S. If there is a Lunafest event in your community, get a bunch of girlfriends together and make it a fun, celebratory evening.

Dark-rinse jean leggings get a boost with a lot of texture: paisley and brocade, Carmela Rose reclaimed vintage chandelier earrings, my own vintage pin (1980s gift from my college roommate!), butter-soft chocolate leather, and gold-studded accents on a crossbody bag.

Transitions and Transformations: Kate Peterson Designs and Adorn & Flourish

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Patty

Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.
– Michel de Montaigne, French Renaissance writer

Kate Peterson arranges beautiful jewelry in their display cases.

When Adorn & Flourish (7027 Stockton Avenue, El Cerrito, 510.367.8548) opened its doors in May 2012, Proprietor Kate Peterson described the greeting given by the neighborhood as “so receptive, so happy, and welcoming,” which, in turn, describes her artistically appointed shop. Adorn & Flourish features the works of 20 mostly local artists, including Kate Peterson Designs – Kate’s jewelry business – and is home to three other artists who work in studios in the back. Ever evolving, the shop, prompted by requests from customers, will offer classes beginning in March taught by resident artists.

Adorn & Flourish’s inviting storefront in El Cerrito.

Creating a community of artists
This unique shop concept developed over time, with its genesis in Kate’s early and therefore difficult efforts trying to get her jewelry into retail shops around town. At that time, she wished she could just “buy a little piece of property” in the stores to display her work. That opportunity presented itself in the form of an art gallery, where she sold her jewelry in a large shared retail space. When she left the gallery, the “biggest internal message” she came away with was: “It’s not just about me.” Kate wanted other artists involved. She wanted support and a community. Just as important, she wanted to help people. “I needed that [support from a community], but I didn’t get it when I was at that place and had nowhere to go,” she explained. “I wanted to create a friendly environment where we could give people an opportunity to show and sell their art.”

Cozy but nicely appointed and curated.

It wasn’t until she moved into her current location that she was able to transform her vision into reality. Kate pointed out that many artists are shy and introverted and therefore find marketing a challenge. Her business was originally next door, sharing a smaller storefront that was home to a little gallery, but when the larger retail space was available, Adorn & Flourish grew into its current model. Kate calls the five small studio spaces “a bonus.” Artists rent display space for $35 to $40 a month and retain 100 percent of the profit from selling their goods in the shop. “I’m not trying to make a living off of the rent I’m getting at the store,” Peterson said. “It’s really a labor of love.”

This three-strand KPD necklace, a Christmas present from David three years ago, can be worn as three separate necklaces.

In return, the resident artists flourish and offer advice and support in this community, as opposed to, for example, working alone in a garage studio or paying high rent for studio space. One benefit of Kate’s business model is that she doesn’t have to buy or change out inventory, or mark down products to move them out. “I have no overhead as far as products,” she said. The artists change out their wares, weekly or monthly, and bring in new work based on customer response.

Statement earrings pop against a frothy maize-colored ombre skirt or olive mesh-paneled maxi skirt.

Kate has been fortunate to not have to seek out artists and their creations. “They find us by word of mouth,” she said. Though many are local to the Bay Area, a few hail from Southern California or other parts of the state. Kate and her assistant and fellow artist, Marika Munkres, set up a jury process for selecting artists. Their goods can be in the same category, such as jewelry and scarves, as products that are currently being carried in the shop, but they need to be different so as not to compete. Kate and Marika are looking for unique handcrafted goods, quality workmanship, and a style that fits in with Adorn & Flourish’s aesthetics, which Kate describes as “simple, elegant, and contemporary, but also with a rustic edge.”

Peterson relaxes in front of Adorn & Flourish on a sunny winter day.

All artists are subject to a three-month trial period. Some artists have come and gone; either their products didn’t sell or they were expecting greater foot traffic, which Kate admits is lacking on the two blocks of retail nestled in a residential area. While Stockton Avenue doesn’t produce the foot traffic of, say, Solano Avenue in North Berkeley, Kate asserted, “We consider ourselves a destination.” That notion seems to be working for many of the artists who have been selling their work at the shop since the beginning.

Kate never considered opening her shop in Berkeley. Having grown up in Kensington, one town over, and residing in El Cerrito, she was committed to her hometown and looking for a location close to where she lives, in a nice, friendly neighborhood. Kate has relied primarily on word of mouth to position Adorn & Flourish as a destination point; however, she is continually marketing the shop via social media such as Yelp and Facebook, and hosting trunk shows and other events.

The artist at work in her studio.

Peterson as jewelry designer
Kate is thrilled when people tell her Adorn & Flourish is “a wonderful idea” and thank her for being in the neighborhood and helping the community and artists. “It makes me feel good,” she enthused. “I can go home at night and feel that I contributed and participated.” That said, Kate is juggling running her shop, maintaining studios, and creating her line of jewelry, the latter of which has become a monumental challenge. “I would really like to have more time to be more creative and experiment with new things and materials,” she said. “KPD is evolving as well.”

She is concentrating the next two years on expanding her jewelry design business website and etsy presence, and then having Kate Peterson Designs carried in boutiques across the country. “It’s important to get my brand out there and get my jewelry seen online,” she explained, of her strategy and priorities. Meanwhile, most of her creative time is spent designing commissioned pieces. Kate thrives on people appreciating and loving how her jewelry makes them feel and how special it is to them. “I’m blown away by the feedback that I get,” she said, with wonderment. “It’s really amazing and it makes me feel wonderful that I’m doing the right thing.”

Shimmery dupioni blouse in shades of blue and blue-green are the perfect backdrop to pale green gemstones.

“Doing the right thing” was having a “breakthrough moment” realizing that her massage therapy business wasn’t fulfilling and that her retail management career was not defining who she was and wanted to be, and not getting her to where she wanted to go. Kate sought to be true to herself and find, as she describes it, “the thing that feeds my soul while helping others.” She got – and continues to get – a lot of support from her family, especially her father, along her journey. Over time, serendipitous events unfolded, and she “opened” herself up to those opportunities. A self-described part healer and part artist, Kate sought to bring those talents together to join with the community and to support local artists.

Marika Munkres, Peterson's assistant and fellow artist, arranges the center display.

Marika Munkres, Kate’s assistant and fellow artist, arranges the center display.

Adorning and flourishing
It’s only fitting that her shop borrows from Kate Peterson Designs’ tagline – “adorn and flourish.” When you adorn yourself, your body, and your home with something that is meaningful and self-healing – whether it be an image, word, color, symbol, talisman, or gemstone – you flourish and become “the best possible and authentic you,” she explained. Kate has always loved stones and shells, which she collected as a child. “They brought me peace, calmness, and authenticity to myself,” she said. Now, using those stones in her designs, she is creating adornments that her many and loyal clients are proudly wearing. In setting up her shop, Kate is helping the community of local artists and the community at large to flourish.

Adorn your pajama blouse with simple yet elegant jewelry - earrings from Abacus Gallery (Portland, ME), Kate Peterson necklace (El Cerrito, CA), purse from Japan that was given to me by my sister, Lava 9 Lucite ring (Berkeley, CA), and cuff and rings from Sundance (Corte Madera, CA).

The green gemstones of this Kate Peterson necklace draw out the green patterns in this J. Crew pajama-style blouse and fabric crossbody purse from Japan.

Peterson's dog, Belle, is a fixture at Adorn & Flourish.

Kate’s dog, Belle, is a fixture at Adorn & Flourish.

Transitions and Transformations: Carmela Rose Designs

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Patty

Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.
– Coco Chanel, French fashion designer

Jewelry designer Carmela Rose.

Carmela Rose grew up in a farming commune in the small town of Summertown, Tennessee, where its school emphasized the arts, including painting and pottery. When she was eight years old, she got hooked on Native American weaving and beading. One day, Carmela and her friend made earrings out of seashells that were part of her older sister’s crafting supplies. When someone suggested that the two girls sell the earrings, they pinned them to a board, went door to door, and sold nearly all of their creations. Thus were the beginnings of the designer and businesswoman behind Carmela Rose Designs.

Taking a leap of faith
Fast forward to 2005 when Carmela moved to the Bay Area after leaving her job as bead store manager in Sacramento and being hired in a jewelry department of a downtown San Francisco department store. When she was undergoing training, she realized that there was a conflict between her day job and her three-year-old, part-time jewelry business. During this time, Carmela had registered for the Los Angeles Gift Show, whose entrance fee was nonrefundable. “If there was a time to take that leap of faith, that was it,” she recalled. She had some savings set aside and already had clients who were selling her jewelry in their Bay Area shops. Ultimately, the demand for her jewelry fueled her decision to become a full-time jewelry designer, and the financial cushion helped with the transition.

A mixture of opalite, Swarovski crystal, quartz crystal, smoky quartz, and sterling silver.

Carmela built up her early business doing guerilla marketing, “hitting the pavement” to show her jewelry and distributing printouts and business cards when she had the money, as well as having her website built to draw business. Sometimes she would call stores ahead of time; other times, she would get up early in the morning, drive to a location with a good shopping district, and select stores with a good fit. Carmela looked for stores that had a good location and whose products were aligned with her jewelry’s aesthetics. She works with sterling silver and gold-filled metals, so she looked for stores that didn’t sell jewelry with plated metals or faux finishes, but rather focused on stores that specialized in natural fibers and simple, elegant, and classic styles. “Sometimes I would get really lucky and the buyer would be there and take the time to look and buy on the spot,” she said. While it doesn’t happen as often as it used to, at the time the economy was growing.

The first pieces of my collection from 2005: chalcedony, peridot, freshwater pearls, and sterling silver (left and middle) and labradorite, freshwater pearls, glass seed beads, and sterling silver (right).

While the economy has picked up in the last year, Carmela still does guerilla marketing. “It’s not something I’ll ever stop doing,” she said. She also participates in approximately five trade shows annually, including the San Francisco gift show, which is smaller than the Los Angeles gift show, an apparel show, and the sample sale trade show that takes place in October in San Francisco.

Vintage Carmela Rose: vintage sterling silver, tourmaline, and Czech glass (left) and vintage lampwork glass, freshwater pearls, and glass with a gold vermeil clasp (right).

Back in 2005, Carmela met Jen Komaromi of Jenny K in El Cerrito at the sample sale trade show. “At trade shows, you sometimes instantly click with a buyer,” she said, of their meeting. “They look at your stuff and instantly know they can sell it. I got the sense that I could trust her. We had this instant ability to communicate. I felt comfortable enough to push her to buy two pairs of earrings.” And that’s when Jenny K began selling Carmela Rose jewelry, and that’s when I began my Carmela Rose collection.

A mix of labradorite and agate earrings, along with vintage favorites: vintage plastic flowers, aqua quartz, and sterling silver, and vintage burnt yellow Lucite, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver.

Relying on valuable marketing skills, overcoming challenges
Carmela gained valuable experience managing and marketing in her previous job at the bead store, and had already worked in many trade shows by then, traveling and meeting different buyers. “It gave me the skills and confidence to put my own larger creative goals into motion, because I’d been a part of that whole experience,” she said. “I was already skilled at marketing other people’s creativity and the ideas and personae of other designers more than my own.”

Vintage brass, tokens, garnet, Swarovski crystal, and 14k gold-filled hooks.

Marketing is the broadest challenge from day to day, and responding to customers’ needs is critical, according to Carmela. “You have to find new ways to do things and spend the time and energy to market,” she said. Figuring out how to measure one’s success is a skill that is also needed on a daily basis. “You have to assess whether something is working or not, and that’s often hard to do if it’s something that you’re passionate about; it’s hard for a lot of designers,” she noted.

Vintage Lucite, vintage Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings, surrounded by andalusite, 22k gold vermeil leaf, and 14k gold-filled hooks (left) and citrine, brass leaves, and 14k gold-filled hooks.

Vintage Lucite, vintage Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings (middle), surrounded by andalusite, 22k gold vermeil leaf, and 14k gold-filled hooks (left) and citrine, brass leaves, and 14k gold-filled hooks (right).

Carmela weathered the economic recession, thanks to a few loyal clients. New shops and new interest in her jewelry opened up last year, at the same time she was contemplating starting a family. “It worked out really well – having a home business and having a baby,” she said. “That’s my new direction. Things are looking really positive again.” While business not as booming as it was in 2005 and 2006, Carmela feels that she is moving in the right direction. “The most pleasant surprise is how supportive people can be, and all the wonderful people I’ve gotten to know – whether collectors, colleagues, clients or friends over the year,” she said. “Knowing some amazing and inspiring people have helped me get through the tough times.”

One of my favorite statement earrings, which give off an Art Deco vibe: vintage Lucite, garnet, and 14k gold-filled hooks.

The joys of designing jewelry
Carmela enjoys the freedom of being able to create something tangible out of a flow of ideas over any given time, and then releasing it to make room for the next creation. “And then to make a living out of it is unbelievable,” she said, with a quiet sense of awe. When pressed to name favorite pieces that she’s made over the years, Carmela is hesitant. She has cataloged everything she’s made, and while there are many pieces that she has enjoyed designing, her philosophy is to create something and set it free in order to make room for new pieces. “I’ve always felt that holding on too tightly to something would hold me back creatively,” she explained.

This necklace is one of my favorite Carmela Rose pieces: vintage sterling silver pieces mixed with oxidized sterling silver and Swarovski crystals.

Having been in business, both part-time and full-time, for a decade now and coming out of the recession stronger and assured, Carmela knows a thing or two about designing jewelry and making a business out of it. The ability to form and maintain sound partnerships is the most important trait to staying in business, she said. Ultimately, at the end of the day, she advises aspiring designers to “be true to yourself but also make it your goal to make really good products that other people enjoy.”

Post Script: Rave review
As you can see, I’m one of those Carmela Rose collectors. One of the things I’ve appreciated through the years is watching Carmela’s style and designs evolve and change, from the freshwater pearls, glass beads, and labradorite pieces to the vintage lampwork beads pieces, to the vintage metals. From delicate to statement to delicate. Simple to elaborate to simple. I have a very soft spot for the earlier statement pieces, as well as the reclaimed vintage jewelry. If I’ve converted you with my collection, check out Carmela’s jewelry at Jenny K’s (6927 Stockton Avenue, El Cerrito, 510.528.5350), where she usually has trunk shows during the holidays and special events such as Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, which happens to be next week!

Early Carmela Rose pieces: ruby quartz and glass with gold vermeil clasp (left) and carnelian, garnet, serpentine, glass, and 14k gold-filled (right).

Transitions and Transformations: Pilar Zuniga of Gorgeous and Green

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Patty

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though I have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skillfully,mysteriously)her first rose
– e.e. cummings, American poet, from “somewhere I have never travelled,gladly beyond”

Pilar setting up floral arrangements for a wedding. (Photo credit: JRotsenphotography.com)

I first discovered Gorgeous and Green (2946 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705, 510.665.7974) after receiving a beautiful set of reclaimed vintage earrings for my 50th birthday last year. The earrings came in a box with the letters “GG” stamped on the lid. The letters were Art Deco in style – the first G backwards, as if mirroring the other G – and on either side was a flourish of Art Deco-style flowers and greenery. Curious, I asked my friend who gave me the present where she got the earrings. She explained that she was on San Pablo Avenue in West Berkeley and came upon a floral shop that sold unique jewelry. Intrigued, I made a little discovery trip, and I’ve been back to Gorgeous and Green many times since.

A colorful storefront display greets visitors to Gorgeous and Green.

The warm and inviting entrance to Gorgeous and Green.

Step inside: A Mix of gorgeous and green goods
The majority of Gorgeous and Green customers are neighbors who live in West Berkeley, although commuters who work in the area also come in during the week. On weekends, the shop is filled with visitors to the East Bay. It’s not uncommon for people to walk in and be unsure of what the shop is selling, admits owner Pilar Zuniga. Her concept is a mix of goods that she and other artisans have created that embody her distinct style – encompassing color, attention to design, vintage feel, sustainability, and the ability to be marketed and displayed in a beautiful and creative way. The gifts in her shop are either one of kind or “embodies the intention of the artist,” she said.

A rustic display of greeting cards from local small presses.

Thus, greetings cards displayed on a white-washed picket-fence gate hung on the wall are made by local, small-scale printing presses. Colorful glassware reclaimed from thrift stores and antique and garage sales dot the shelves throughout the shop. Hand-blown glass by local artisans is re-envisioned as planters for succulents and other plants. Body and bath products are made with natural ingredients and produced in an environmentally friendly manner. Zuniga stocks her shop with goods crafted by artisans whom she researches and finds on the Internet. “I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback,” she said, of her selections. She continues to stock what sells well, but tries to bring in new items.

Reclaimed vintage jewelry dangle from a suspended branch.

She designs and sells her jewelry, which comprise vintage pieces that she incorporates into a new design. “I like to redo jewelry to make it better or to make it into something someone would enjoy,” she explained. “I’ve always been interested in art – painting, drawing, other craftwork, sewing, making jewelry – I got really into reusing reclaimed vintage. That was always a side thing,” she said. Zuniga showcases creations by other jewelry designers as well, most of which are fashioned from reclaimed materials. Gorgeous and Green carries M.E. Moore‘s jewelry, which I discovered in Zuniga’s shop.

Artwork on the wall seems to spill out of this beautiful arrangement.

Roots in sustainability
Sustainability is an important aspect, and Zuniga has ensured that it is expressed in her shop. The San Diego native developed her environmental consciousness when she was a student at UC Berkeley, which opened her up to thinking about the greater good of the world. Not surprisingly, she found her way into the nonprofit sector of public health as a career and remained in northern California because of the area’s “down-to-earth sensibility” and the fact that “everybody is really close.”

When Zuniga was planning her wedding in 2005, she had difficulty finding a sustainable florist, though today there are more environmentally conscious florists. She saw a need to fill and was energized by the concept. Though she enjoyed working with people and in the nonprofit sector, she was losing interest as she moved into management and got behind a desk. Zuniga started her company in 2007 with a focus on floral design and events while still working full-time. She took classes but didn’t go to school for floral design, though she also learned about the industry through her aunt, who was a florist. When she was younger, she helped her aunt with weddings. Zuniga was able to rely on various skills she had learned in her job – designing and evaluating marketing materials. She transformed her garage into her workspace and created gift items specifically for weddings, and her business took off in 2008.

Vintage suitcases hold unique gifts and treasures.

Challenging times
“I really enjoyed the design and artistic piece of it, so I quit my job and opened up a shop,” she said. Zuniga had been eyeing her current storefront and convinced the landlord to rent the space to her in January 2010. Within three weeks, she had opened the first week of February, just in time to take advantage of Valentine’s Day. (In an anniversary of sorts and a repeat of history, Gorgeous and Green moved to its new location, 2946 College Avenue, near Ashby Avenue in Berkeley, this past February from its San Pablo Avenue location.)

Succulent terrariums featuring locally hand-blown glass.

At the onset, Zuniga faced significant financial challenges, which were exacerbated by the recession. She and her husband – who had started his business years before – had saved money, but in the beginning there were months when she made very little money or none at all. Zuniga logged 60 to 80 hours a week, seven days a week. Despite the grueling schedule and unstable earnings, by the end of the first year, when her lease was to be reviewed, she decided to try another two years. The holidays had buoyed her, and she added, with a laugh, “It could only get better from where it started.” That said, Zuniga burnt herself out the second year with her workload and made the strategic decision to hire people to help in the shop. Though staffing is one of the biggest line items in her budget, she believes the benefits outweighed the cost. Despite being “shackled” to the shop, she says the best thing about being a shop owner is flexibility. “I’m a hard worker, but I don’t have to keep going 110 percent all the time,” she said. She allows herself time to power down or take a break.

Wall-mounted terrariums and planters share a cozy corner of the shop with dried pressed flower earrings.

She has since pulled back doing events because of the time and effort involved and competition with larger events companies, and is investing more time showcasing her shop, which she feels needs her support to keep it going. This year she plans on cutting back on the number of events she produces in order to enjoy the few that she plans to take on. The wedding events that were the most memorable for her were the ones in which she was granted creative license. She has done a number of weddings at the Piedmont Community Center, but one in particular enabled her to use brilliant colors and planted materials such as succulents and ferns. “I really enjoyed having the space to do what I wanted to do,” she said. She also did a wedding in Moss Beach, which enabled her to enjoy the drive down the coast and then transform a garden into a vibrant place with washed-up wood that the bride had collected on the beach and had Zuniga incorporate into the floral arrangements.

The shelves are stocked with glassware, jewelry, natural bath and body products, and more goodies.

Taking risks and “throwing up some dust and some dirt”
Zuniga touts the support of her husband as being very significant in her decision to start her own business. When she and her husband first got together, she was the breadwinner while he was trying to get his business going. When his San Francisco-based video production company, Corduroy Media, finally turned and grew, the strain of being the breadwinner eased. “We both have our own businesses now, but I don’t think I would have done it without his business doing well,” she said. When her husband’s business was going strong after its first decade, Zuniga felt it was now her turn.

Gorgeous and Green’s San Pablo location before the shop moved to College Avenue.

She never questioned her decision to open her shop, buoyed with the philosophy that things would take care of themselves. She didn’t worry about being saddled with debt should the business venture not work out. “I’ve been there before and I’ve paid it [debt] off. You just move on and you learn from it,” she said, simply. “It’s just money. But it’s also a chance to be happy and to enjoy what you do and give yourself a chance. You’ll regret it if you don’t [try]. You’ll always regret it.”

If she hadn’t made the change, Zuniga emphasized that she would have missed out on the entire experience – the difficulties and challenges, the enjoyable times, and especially the fact that she overcame so much to get to where she is now. “I continue to do so [overcome adversities], and I surprise myself,” she added. “You just have to put yourself out there.”

Turning serious for a moment, Zuniga noted that society teaches women to eschew being a risk taker. “Part of it is genetic, part of it is maintaining your uterus as a safe space because you want to have children at some point or you might not,” she said, with a laugh. “Evolutionarily, it works that way.” But Zuniga has grown comfortable with embracing risk. “It’s okay to take a risk and not be sure and make big mistakes,” she said. It may not work out, but she says, “At least I jumped on it. I threw up some dust and some dirt, and it will eventually settle.”

Spend a lazy Saturday afternoon checking out boutiques in West Berkeley in a comfy chemise and platform boots made for walking.

A Gorgeous and Green find – a rose necklace made from corn! (Earrings by Carmela Rose and ring from Lava 9, Berkeley, CA)

Close-up of the rose necklace made from corn from Gorgeous and Green.

The Dress at 50

Live the creative, meaningful, and full life

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