AS SEEN ON : AN ODE TO THE WEARERS
AN OCCASIONAL BLOG THAT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT AND THANK THE CUSTOMERS, SUPPORTERS, AND CHAMPIONS OF THIS THING THAT I DO
As Seen On : Annie Etling
Friendship is so weird. You pick out a random human you’ve never met and you’re like, “This one, I wanna go on adventures with this one.”
I saw that on Instagram today, and it made me think of my friend Annie.
We met in the summer of 2007 in Milan, Italy. We had both been hired to teach at the American School of Milan; Annie, from St. Louis, to teach high school math. Amy, from New Hampshire, to teach middle and high school digital art. I knew I liked Annie right away, but never seemed to have the time or opportunity to make the friendship happen; She had a boyfriend. I did not. She lived in the center of Milano in an apartment that she had found on her own. I lived in the housing provided by the school, matched up with another teacher as my roommate, and closer to the school and corn fields than the duomo and piazzas in the center of Milan. Annie had a Smart car and quickly learned to hold her own on the Autostrada. I walked, or rode my bicycle or hopped on the 222 bus to school, or the 24 tram into the city center.
Fast forward to the next school year, September 2008, when I had moved into an apartment in Porta Romana with my friends Rebecca + Lisa, just outside the center of Milano, and just across the street from Annie. She had recently broken up with said boyfriend and all of us had just finished our first week of the school year and felt as though we had been hit by a bus.
I texted Annie: What are you up to this weekend? Her: I’m going to a 4 star spa/hotel in Lugano. Me: Want company? Her: Sure!
We all hopped in Annie’s car and headed an hour north to Lugano, Switzerland, our bags packed with our bathing suits + a Vanity Fair that one of us had from our flight to Italy a few weeks before. After hot saunas + cold plunges, massages + fruit platters, we were lazing around in our bathrobes and we started asking each other the questions from the Proust Questionnaire, on every last page of the magazine.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? What is your greatest fear? What do you most value in your friends? If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? What is your greatest regret?
You try asking someone those questions, kindly and patiently. Try answering those questions, vulnerably and honestly. Try not sticking with that person for the rest of your days.
What is one of your most treasured possessions? That one, my friendship with that one.
Annie wearing the Lua Dangles [photo by Jesika Theos]
Annie, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi! I am Amy’s friend, Annie. I am from St. Louis, Missouri and I currently live in Denver, Colorado. I am close with my three sisters, Colleen, Ellie, Katie, and their families. I love being an aunt to Rowan, Linden, Liam, Oliver, Silas, Cecilia, Bailey, Carter, and Jordan. I am surrounded by incredible friends from high school, friends from all of my past teaching experiences, neighbors, and extended family. I got my little Luca, a Bernedoodle, a year and a half ago.
You were in education for over 20 years and recently made a big career change…please tell us a bit about your life as a teacher, coach and assistant principal, and now as a relationship manager for WeFi Technology Group.
Most of my career has been spent in education. As a teacher, department chair, cross country coach, and Assistant Principal. I have worked at three wonderful and very different schools. Regis Jesuit High School in Denver, Colorado, Clayton High School in St. Louis, Missouri, and The American School of Milan in Italy. Teaching mathematics and forming relationships with students brought me a lot of joy. While teaching was a passion of mine, I began to feel burnt out and unbalanced with work after being an administrator. After deciding to leave education and try something new, I was offered a relationship management position at a channel finance company owned by a family I got to know well at Regis Jesuit High School. WeFi has an office in Zug, Switzerland, where the international side of the business is located. I will be transferring to the Switzerland office in March. I am excited to meet new people, travel, embrace a new culture, and grow, both personally and professionally.
What did you love about teaching? Is there anything that you miss? Or don’t miss?
Every day was different and brought something new. High school students are pretty great (most of the time!). I enjoyed getting to know my students and I enjoyed trying to make a challenging subject easier to learn and more relevant. Educators are interesting and amazing people to work with. I miss my colleagues, I miss working with students, I miss working in a “passion” job. I don’t miss being tied to a school calendar, or the emotional impact the job had on me.
What do you enjoy most about your new path?
My current job is more flexible and I no longer have to work in the evenings or on the weekends. I have also been able to travel all over the US to meet with customers which has been a new and fun experience for me. And the opportunity to live and work in Switzerland is really exciting for me.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I am getting reacquainted with having more free time outside of work. I spend most of my time with friends and family. Usually on walks, hikes, cooking together, and exploring new restaurants. I’ll blame Italy for my love for wine. I spend a lot of time on my front porch with Luca 😀
Annie + Luca
How did you and Amy come to know each other? Do you remember the first connection or your first meeting?
Teaching at The American School of Milan brought me to Amy. We both started at ASM the same year. We didn’t become friends right away but I admired her and was curious to get to know her better. Shortly after a breakup, I decided I wanted a weekend away. I planned a solo trip to Lugano. I remember talking to Amy and our mutual friend Rebecca right before I left. They asked if I wanted company and I said YES! So, we drove to Lugano, found a great spa hotel, and bonded over The Proust Questionnaire in Vanity Fair in our robes. Ha! We have been close friends ever since.
What is the foundation of your friendship with Amy?
I call Amy one of my soulmate friends. We just get each other. And it is easy. Full acceptance, no judgments, and unconditional care and support. Even though I haven’t lived in the same place as Amy since Italy (15 years ago!), we have made it a priority to see each other a few times each year. I’ll visit her, she’ll visit me, or we will plan a trip together. We like the same genres of music, we like seeing live music, we appreciate good food and wine, we like exploring new places, and we like movement (whether it be walking, hiking, biking, yoga).
What adventures have you shared?
Oh boy! Endless. The most epic adventure was a three week road trip down the west coast. We started in Denver and drove to Canada and then went south from there. We visited Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and LA. We have gone back to Italy together a few times. One memorable moment was arriving in Venice, finding a great place to eat, and sitting there for several hours enjoying just about every course they had to offer. And then there was a trip to Greece with Amy, Rebecca, me, and my sister. Always lots of laughs and crazy adventures.
What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing?
I almost exclusively wear Amy’s jewelry. My everyday earrings are typically the Disc Studs in rose gold with the Una Studs in my second piercing. The Una Studs are the sole reason I got my ears double pierced. I often switch out the disc studs with the Gemma Threaders in gold. My everyday rings are the 14K yellow gold Selma Ring and Neve Ring. I wear those stacked. On the other hand, I wear the Petra Ring in garnet.
Depending on the day, event, or outfit, I like to change up my necklaces. Recycled Glass Necklaces are fun and come in great color combos. I often wear the Arbus Necklace. The first necklace I received from Amy was the Quill Necklace and I thought it was the coolest thing ever!
Do you have a favorite?
It’s hard to choose. Amy is always creating new things. When I think I have a favorite, she creates something else I admire. My new favorites are the Maia Drops and the Lua Dangles.
How are you most often seen wearing this?
I am a casual dresser so most days I stick to my everyday pieces. I like to change it up and get a little bit more creative when I am getting ready for an event or going out for a special occasion.
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
I didn’t prioritize wearing jewelry much in the past. It wasn’t until Amy started her business and I began to collect a number of her pieces. It is the last thing I put on after getting ready.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On and learning more about my dear friend Annie.
And ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off of Annie’s favorite AVE styles through the end of February. You can see her complete ASO collection here. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out. I’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Leigh Cronin + Clara Hodges
I first met Clara Hodges and Leigh Cronin in the summer of 2021 at the Spirit of Old Portsmouth art market at the Pressroom in Portsmouth. Leigh + Clara were vending their Off Menu Pots at the table beside me, and as the customers started coming into the market, I started hearing little snippets of their story. Clara would say, “I throw the pots and Leigh paints them.” And then, “I know, aren’t Leigh’s paintings so beautiful!?! I LOVE how she did this one!” And Leigh, “Clara just makes the most gorgeous forms, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!” And later, “Yeah, Clara makes the pieces at MudCity in Rochester and then I paint them in my studio in Portsmouth, and then we bring them back to Rochester to get fired….”
Me, “Wait, what?”
I was in awe, first of their beautiful, fun + funky pottery, then of the fact that it was made by 2 distinct artists with 2 very separate but integral roles, and then by the thought of the logistics, the timing, the planning and the faith that it had to have taken to create the collection that I saw in front of them, and then by the brilliance of being able to authentically gush over each other’s artistry, the way they could champion each other and ultimately themselves, without sounding like complete jerks. And that’s even the best part, they are light and love and beautiful and goofy and incredibly talented and kind. The most non-jerky people you could ever meet.
I sat there beside them, amazed and to be completely honest, slightly envious of their partnership, of being in it together, of the comfort and openness of being able to share + applaud each other’s gifts.
Sometimes at a market, the vendors will watch each other’s tables if someone needs a quick food/pee break. I can sell my neighbor-vendor’s wares far more comfortably than I can sell my own, pointing out the craftsmanship, the beauty, the ingenuity of whatever they make. But my own work? “Just let me know if you have any questions…” I’ll say, while not saying, “I’ll be over here, appearing to ignore you, but really hoping you’ll love my jewelry as much as I do.”
Leigh + Clara and I have continued to cross paths, at local art markets, each other’s studios, wearing, using + gifting each other’s pieces. I even had the honor of making Clara + Carter’s bands for their wedding last September. Once vendor-neighbors and now friends, you can come see all of us [Clara’s forms, Leigh’s paintings, their pots, my jewelry, Clara’s wedding band] this weekend at the Button Factory Open Studios. I would love to share with you the beautiful alchemy of Leigh + Clara, of their two gifts combined.
*Studio photos of Leigh + Clara by Penny Antares. Wedding Photos by Joe Murphy
Leigh + Clara, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and how you met each other?
Clara: I grew up in New Hampshire and studied pottery off and on through college at UNH. I’m the youngest of seven, all with artistic abilities of their own. I didn’t foresee myself with a ceramics business but now I can’t see myself doing anything else. I got married this year to the most supportive person of my artistic pursuits and I feel so grateful to be where I am in life.
Leigh: I grew up in Portsmouth, NH and attended art school in Montpellier, France. I spent my early 20s traveling throughout Europe, visiting as many museums, quaint villages and cities as possible. Starting in high school I began experimenting with any creative medium I could get my hands on and eventually grew to focus on illustration.
We met working in Portsmouth, NH at a downtown restaurant / music venue.
Leigh, Clara, Pots
And what about your business…How did Off Menu Pots come to be?
We started because we were both feeling pretty stagnant in our work. It was mid pandemic and we were painting houses together. Leigh learned her decoration technique over the summer and was looking for a potter to work with. At this point, Clara hadn’t worked with pottery in 4 - 5 years but decided to give it a try. We have come a long way since that time, creatively and with ease of operations. In the beginning we were firing our work in Manchester and working from our makeshift studios in our homes (cold garages and shared spaces). Now we have a warm and wonderful community studio MudCity Clay in Rochester, NH that Clara works out of and is an intern at and we have a studio in The Button Factory in Portsmouth, NH that Leigh shares with Anne Muller of Upper Form clothing. Our work has changed as we have gotten more comfortable with the process but we encourage each other to explore so we foresee it continuing to evolve.
Clara, you throw the pots, and Leigh, you do the glazing/painting designs…what is it like for each of you to be surprised by what the other has created?
It is one of the best parts! We give each other creative freedom to make work that is fulfilling to each of us, so it is really special when we see pieces out of the kiln fully fired. We get to be excited about the piece and celebrate each other’s talent - it’s a nice ego boost and a chance for us to appreciate all the work we have put in to get where we are.
What has been the most surprising aspect of running + owning your own business?
I think that we have been able to make it as far as we have, we are continuing to grow and are excited to see what next year will hold.
Are there any goals that either of you might like to pursue outside of your business?
Clara: I am hoping to finally get to some more museums, do some day trips, basically just do more traveling in the next couple years
Clara + Leigh in their studio.
How did you and Amy first meet? And from there, how has your friendship grown or evolved?
We met Amy at the Spirit of Old Portsmouth art market at the Pressroom in Portsmouth, NH in 2021. We were set up right next to each other. Leigh and I had just started out and Amy gave us recommendations and advice and all around made us feel welcome to the artist community. Amy has continued to be a resource to us as we went through many markets together and our first tax season. We had the opportunity to host Amy at the Button Factory open studios event last December and are so glad to have her again. It hasn’t been an equal relationship in terms of helping each other but maybe one day we’ll have more to offer Amy!
Has anyone else helped you along the way? If so, who and how?
Meghan Samson, the owner of MudiCty, has been a huge help to us both in learning techniques but also in helping develop balance in owning your own business. We are surrounded by badass friends who own businesses and we try to learn everything we can to create a solid business.
If people want to see you + your work in person, where can they find you?
Our next big event is The Button Factory Open Studios, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of December in Portsmouth NH. Then, The Holiday Makers Market at Silvaticus Brewery on the 10th of December in Amesbury MA. We have a full list on our website offmenupots.com
What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically style these?
Clara: I love Amy’s Numa Studs, and she made our wedding bands so I am usually wearing a piece that she designed. I wear Amy’s earrings when I am trying to dress up and look cool.
Is it an everyday piece for you or a special occasion, a statement?
Clara: I have different pieces for all three!
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
Clara: Often my earrings are the final touches.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On. You can check out their website to learn more about Leigh + Clara + Off Menu Pots or give them a follow on Instagram. And you visit all of us at the Button Factory Open Studios this weekend, and the Silvaticus Holiday Makers Market next weekend.
And ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off of Leigh + Clara’s favorite AVE styles through the end of December. [Clara : the Numa Studs, the Citrine Necklace and the Innis Hairpin. Leigh: the Elise Hoops] Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Sacha Field
Last week, David and I were walking in Amesbury and we ran into Sacha and Zach Field. Sacha was wearing the Arrow Dangles and she looked stunning. She is a tall girl, just like me, and I tend to make earrings for tall girls, just like me. I often have to remind myself that not everyone has the neck real estate that we do, gotta remember to make things smaller + daintier. So when I saw my friend in my show-stopper earrings and a beautiful smile, I was struck by how gorgeous the pairing was, Sacha + the Arrows. You wear those earrings SO well! I texted her later. Will you be my As Seen On??
I met Sacha and her husband Zach a few years ago, both Amesbury residents and business owners. They own Zach Field Drums + Music and recently opened up The Space @ ZFDM for live musical performances. David and I always talk about what Amesbury is missing, what would make this almost-perfect city perfectly-perfect…a great live music venue was always on our list. Noodle bar too.
I can remember when I saw Zach + Sacha’s posting about the band Tall Heights coming to perform at The Space in January. Tall Heights is playing in Amesbury!?! I told David. A few years before, we had seen Tall Heights open for and then play with Ben Folds in Boston. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that they were playing in our little city. We bought tickets, we walked in winter cold through the Amesbury mills to The Space, had a beer from Barewolf, bought a record and listened in awe with about 100 other people as one of our favorite local bands played just a few feet away from us. Their song Spirit Cold is one of my melancholy songs. If anyone knows anything about me, I am a song-on-repeat kind of girl, and Spirit Cold is one of those songs.
Sitting in The Space, listing to Tall Heights sing Spirit Cold, filled with so much gratitude to Sacha + Zach for bringing this to Amesbury…Check. Still looking for that noodle bar though…
Sacha Field, wearing the Arrow Dangles
Sacha, could you please start by telling us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in West Newbury and graduated from Pentucket but have lived in Amesbury for the last 18 years and consider it home. I met my husband, Zach Field, in high school although we didn’t start dating until I was in college. We have been together for 21 years and married for 18. Our greatest joy (and stress haha!) is our 11 year old daughter, Marlie. She is a whirling dervish of pure love and creativity and keeps us on our toes every waking moment.
Our family loves to camp! We recently bought a small teardrop camper which will allow us to extend our outdoor adventures all the way through the winter. I would consider myself a bookworm and can get lost for hours on end in a good book - I loved The Art of Racing in the Rain and The Red Tent. Entertaining family and friends and concocting new, fun cocktails is another one of my favorite ways to spend time - here’s a yummy winter punch recipe that’s always a hit. I have an addiction to bootcamp classes at CrossFit Amesbury and try to get in at least 5-6 days of working out each week. I love Christmas (and all holidays, really) with a childlike fervor and count down the seconds until the holiday season begins with its long list of yearly traditions. Some would consider me bossy but I like to say I have a strong, goal-oriented personality ;)
Zach + Marlie
I’d love to hear a bit more about your business with your husband, Zach. Can you tell us a bit about how ZFDM got started? How has it evolved?
Zach started as a small, one-person drum teacher in the woods of West Newbury, about 23 years ago. When he maxed out the number of students he could physically teach, he hired a second teacher and moved into a slightly larger space. Over the years, he kept expanding to larger spaces and hired additional teachers. In 2010, Zach Field Drum Studios moved into the Tannery and 3 years later, we purchased The Musical Suite, an established music school down the hall from the drum studio that taught all instruments, except drums. I was always peripherally involved in the business as I was working as a child life specialist at MassGeneral Hospital up until 2019. At that point, I left my hospital job to work alongside Zach as we opened up a second location in the Trades Mill in Amesbury and combined all entities into what is now known as Zach Field Drums & Music. At this point, we have 2 locations, 31 teachers, 600 weekly students and a performance/rental space!
Young drummers at ZDFM
Tell us about The Space! What is your mission with The Space? Why did you pick Amesbury? What have been some of your favorite live-show moments?
The goal of The Space, the intimate live music venue at our ZDFM music studio, is to bring national and semi-national acts to our community and to make music accessible to everyone. The majority of our shows have a daytime, all-ages performance where kids and families are welcome to attend. One of my favorite memories is from the very first show we had, featuring Tall Heights. I looked around the room and couldn’t believe how many children were up dancing, truly mesmerized by the music. It was such a beautiful moment to see people of all ages, brought together by the emotion of what they were hearing and experiencing together. Our partnership with Barewolf Brewery has allowed us to serve drinks before and during the 21+ shows, further enhancing the “night out” vibe for adults coming to The Space. We have our next Live @ The Space show, Billy Keane and the Waking Dream, coming up on Friday, 10/20. Doors/drinks at 6pm, show at 7pm. If you haven’t been to a show yet, this is one not to miss!
Tall Heights performing at The Space
How did you and Amy first meet? And how have you and Amy supported each other as friends and business-owners?
I first met Amy at the Amesbury Farmers Market at Barewolf several years back. I had seen her beautiful jewelry at the Mother’s Day Market previously and was so excited to finally meet the creator! Amy and I continue to run into each other at various shows and events all over the city. I admire her ability to make conversation so effortless; she is a wonderful listener and a kind, empathetic person with a big heart. I consider myself a walking advertisement for AVE since I have one of her pieces on almost daily. Any compliments I receive, I immediately tell them about Amy and where they can purchase their own beautiful jewelry. I buy as often as possible for presents as they make the BEST gifts! And Amy and her lovely partner, David, have become avid supporters of The Space. They have been one of our greatest supporters from day one, before we had any credibility as a performance venue.
How important is building a community or connections when it comes to running your own business?
Community is everything to us; it’s literally the entire reason we opened a location in Amesbury. With our daughter in the Amesbury school system and having lived here for almost half my life, it was very important for us to bring more musical opportunities to people in our own city. Connecting with other small business owners, supporting each other’s endeavors and figuring out meaningful ways to collaborate really feeds my soul. It can be isolating, owning your own business, but the love and support we feel from the community at large lifts us up daily!
What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically style these?
Arrow Dangles, Mina Hoops & some discontinued hammered hoops that I snagged during her annual Archive Sale. I wear her pieces with everything: to dress up a casual outfit of leggings/t-shirt and to finish off my “going out” outfits, jumpsuit, jeans, etc. Dressed up or down, they work with everything because of their elegant simplicity. I cannot count the number of compliments I receive every time I wear them!
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
I plan all my big events around what jewelry I am going to wear. Nothing in the world makes me feel more put together and beautiful than my AVE Arrow Dangles. No matter what I am wearing, I know that I look presentable with those on!
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On. You can learn more about Sacha + Zach + ZFDM HERE. And you can grab tickets to Billy Keene and the Waking Dream on October 20 at The Space in Amesbury HERE, where you will definitely see me + David, and Sacha + Zach.
And ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off of Sacha’s favorite AVE styles, the Arrow Dangles + the Mina Hoops. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Mary Swenson
If friendships could be valued in candles-for-earrings-trades, ours would truly be priceless.
Mary and I met years ago, both of us in the fledgling stages of launching our small businesses. I remember the first craft fair that we were at together, a rainy and cold Massachusetts May Saturday, where we both did some retail therapy with each other to make up for the wet socks, white fingers, low sales. And my Farm + Sea habit was formed...candles in my home, roll-on perfume in the bathroom, reed-diffusers and more candles at my studio, and so many gifts given over the years…You get a Farm + Sea candle! And you get a Farm + Sea candle! And you get a Farm + Sea candle!
More often than not, when somebody sees the label, they say “Oh, I LOVE Farm + Sea!” But even better than that, to me, is when someone says “Oh, I love Mary + Rob!” or “Mary + Rob are the best!” Because that really is the essence of what this small business world is all about. Not just the quality of the products, or the beautiful branding, or the spiffy website…It’s the people. It’s not just Farm + Sea. It’s Mary + Rob.
Maybe you’ve shopped with each of us over the years, as we sell our work side-by-side at the Silvaticus Maker’s Markets. Thank you. Maybe you purchased one of our new collaborative Valentine’s Day Gift Sets. Thank you. Maybe you try to shop small and local and handcrafted whenever you can. Thank you. Maybe you’ve read this far, and will read the rest below to learn a little something about my lovely friends Mary + Rob, and what they have created. Thank you. And maybe you will become one more, among so many, to say “I love Farm + Sea! Mary + Rob are the best!”
Thank you.
xx
Amy
[interview below by kayla doyle]
Mary, wearing the Sliver Dangles [photo by Kate Donovan]
Mary, could you please start by telling us a little bit about yourself.
I’m Mary Swenson, founder and co-owner of Farm + Sea, which I now run with my husband Rob right around the corner from Amy’s studio in Amesbury. I’m a huge supporter of handmade and small business, own way too many cookbooks and pieces of pottery, and get overly excited about tortilla chips. If Rob and I aren’t working, we’re probably on some sort of weekend adventure, most likely in Maine, definitely eating oysters.
We would love to hear more about Farm + Sea. What has your path to Farm + Sea looked like?
I’ve always been a serial entrepreneur – even if my ideas just stayed in my head and never came to fruition – and always a creative. But when you’re young, you’re really never taught that those traits are actually living-makers...so you take the safe path and work the job to have the career that buys the things and pays the bills. And that’s what I did, and it was fine, until it wasn’t. At some point, you have to answer to the things inside of you that make you who you are, and decide whether or not you want to live authentically and with purpose and passion, or just continue to go through the motions. I chose the former. I’ll never forget that when I left my job to focus on the business full-time, a woman who used to be my manager said to me “That’s a bold move.” And even though I’m pretty sure that she didn’t mean it as a compliment, I always took it as one.
Farm + Sea Studio Shop in Amesbury, Massachusetts
Could you tell us a bit about your materials and ingredients? What are you using and why?
From the start, I knew that I wanted to use only the highest-quality ingredients for our products...like natural waxes and oils, and fragrances that are free from phthalates. When I was first starting out, just over seven years ago, phthalate-free fragrances weren’t quite a thing, and I had to really do some digging to find suppliers who sold them...today, they are readily available from pretty much every fragrance house, which is great to see, and shows the shift in what customers are demanding and expecting of the products that they bring into their home. I love that.
What does production look like for you and Farm + Sea? Do you have support?
Rob and I are at the studio pretty much every day, 7 days a week, to some extent. That could mean a full production day, or just a quick check-in at the studio to tie up some loose ends or plan the week ahead. We are incredibly lucky to now have a small but mighty team in place to help us, and we literally couldn’t run our business without them. They are family to us.
Like Amy, your work is very hands-on. Does your process ever feel tiresome or laborious? What continues to excite you?
When our production commitments get especially insane – like during the holidays, for example - we sometimes feel like we’re on autopilot. Rob and I will work all day, get home and have a quick dinner, go to bed early, and then repeat the whole thing the next day. And the next. And the next. But we’re surrounded by a team that makes us laugh, keeps the energy buzzing, and cares just as much as we do about what goes out the door and into a customer’s home or a retail shop. To have that kind of support around us has been a game-changer in so many ways. What continues to excite me? New scents, creating the visuals for our brand each season, and opening the doors to our little studio retail shop each week – it’s always been a dream of mine to have a brick and mortar, and this has been a great way to scratch that itch and give our customers a way to experience our brand in an in-person way.
How did you and Amy meet? How have you stayed connected over the years?
I always tell people that Amy is why I’m in Amesbury. I had been a fan of her work and knew her studio was in Amesbury, so in 2017 when I was ready to move production out of our house I reached out to her to pick her brain about what spaces might be available locally. Right off the bat, she was welcoming and open and eager to help, and to this day we still meet for coffee at the Market Square Bakehouse to talk shop, trade advice, and cheer each other on. Amy is someone I’ll always look up to as an artist and small business owner.
Do you wear Amy’s designs? What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing?
I call Amy “my official jeweler” (ha!) because I am the proud owner of almost an embarrassing number of her pieces. Her earrings in particular are my go-tos – they’re miraculously lightweight and effortlessly cool. The ones I reach for most often these days are the Arrow Dangle, the Sliver Dangles, the Numa Studs...and her Selma Ring never comes off.
Rob and Mary Swenson at their Farm + Sea Studio Shop [photo by Kate Donovan]
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On. You can learn more about Mary + Rob and Farm + Sea HERE. And you can find our Valentine’s Day Gift Set in person at their shop and online at farmandsea.com until February 14, 2023.
And ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off of Mary’s favorite AVE styles, the Arrow Dangles, the Sliver Dangles, the Numa Studs and the Selma Ring. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Jenny Graf
Last December, knowing that I always need a little something to get me through the New England winter, I texted Jenny Graf I would love to take a ceramics class with you. Do you have any space for me? On January 4th of this year, with the frenzy of the holiday season behind me, and the bigness of starting another small business year ahead of me, I walked into Purple Sage Pottery for my first of 10 classes with Jenny and 5 other students. I had taken ceramics classes years before, and always struggled with centering my pots on the wheel, creating things that kind of looked like bowls, stopping before I ruined them, and also stopping before they actually became something.
Jenny teaches ceramics like it is yoga, she talks about "quieting the clay" rather than muscling it, reminds us to breathe when we forget. I was suddenly able to do so much more with gentle hands and a present mind than I had ever been able to do with biceps and force. Something that had always been a frustration became relaxing, meditative, healing.
I am so very grateful for Jenny’s teaching, to my lovely classmates, to the treasure of Purple Sage Pottery and to December Me for knowing just what January + February Me needed this year.
Jenny and I have been working on a jewelry/ceramics collaboration that will be debuting at Artsvile Amesbury this week! We are sharing an artist shanty during the first week of the first-annual Artsville Amesbury that runs through the end of July. We will be there Thursday 6/23 + Friday 6/24 from 12pm-6pm and Saturday 6/25 and Sunday 6/26 from 10am-4pm, and would love for you to swing by and see us, what we do, and what we’ve done together.
Thanks so much, my friends!
xx
Amy
Jenny in the ceramics studio wearing the Fela Hoops and the Mala Studs
Jenny, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in New Hampshire and have had a life-long love of New England. The state of Maine is a particular favorite, as I have spent my entire life spending summers there, in the mountains, and on the coast, and attended college there. I feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world, and love exploring it’s many wonders! My partner John and I love to travel, and do so whenever we can. In addition to my love of creating hand built and wheel thrown pottery, I love cooking and interior design.
I’d love to hear a bit more about your history with ceramics and teaching. (Who mentored you? Where did you study? When did you know you wanted to be a potter? Is potter a term that you like? :) How has your work evolved over the years?)
Ceramics have been a part of my life since my childhood. My grandfather was a music teacher and potter. Though I never had the opportunity to study under him, his pieces filled both my childhood home and my home now. I feel his energy whenever I am creating. I first started my own path with ceramics at Purple Sage Pottery. My first teacher, Beth Bell, had a long affiliation with Purple Sage, and was a mentor to me. Her encouragement led me to gradually move from being a student, to being a full time potter, (a term I do like! It has such a rich history!:). I was thrilled when Purple Sage owner, Iris Minc, asked me to join the teaching staff at the studio. I have been teaching what we call Beginner and Beyond classes there since 2017, and this past year, also began teaching at 2 Rivers Ceramics Studio in Newbury. I can’t point to an exact time when I knew I wanted to be a full-time Potter. It really was an evolution. I feel very fortunate that I was able to allow my love of the medium to grow at its own pace. I began with a clear preference for hand building. I was less attracted to the wheel, and loved the variety of forms that could be created, and surface treatments that could be explored, through hand building. I believe that foundation was critical, as it led me to a deep understanding of the properties of clay-it’s possibilities and parameters. When I ultimately turned my attention to the wheel, I felt my affinity for, and love of clay, expand. I love combining hand building and wheel throwing techniques in my work. The possibilities are endless!
Where and how do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in the natural beauty that surrounds us here in New England. What I describe as the more narrative pieces that I do, are created using printing mats, into which I carve images of natural subjects- shore birds, flora and fauna- and press into slab built pieces. I am also deeply inspired by the rich history of pottery making. I love exploring new techniques and forms. I am thrilled that the medium I love offers the opportunity for life long learning. I can never know all there is to know, and that is wonderful!
How important is building a community or connections when it comes to being an artist and running your own business?
Oh my goodness SO IMPORTANT! I absolutely love, and am deeply reliant upon, the support I receive from the clay communities of which I am a part. It has become clear to me that making a living as an artist is very difficult and often multi faceted. Getting to know, and work with other makers and business owners in our area, has also been critical. This too feels like a life long endeavor. There is so much to learn and share.
Can you tell us a bit about how you and Amy came to know each other?
I first met Amy a few years ago at the 3S Form + Function craft fair in Portsmouth, NH. This past winter, Amy reached out to me expressing an interest in taking a pottery class that I teach at Purple Sage Pottery. I have been absolutely thrilled to have her, and really look forward to Wednesday mornings with Amy! She always arrives to class with wonderful ideas and a keen desire to explore new paths of creative expression through clay. It is so exciting to know that with Amy, the future will hold an abundance of creative collaboration!
How have you and Amy supported each other as friends, artists, and business-owners?
As a fellow artist, Amy has been an incredible resource to me. She is so generous with her expertise. I am grateful for her guidance, as she shares so much of her own experiences as a maker creating and growing a small business.
What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing?
I am most often seen wearing my Fela Hoops- they were my first Amy pair, and I love them! I love wearing my Mala Studs as an everyday staple- usually with jeans and a t-shirt. I also often use just one of them in the third hole on my right ear. And for special occasions, I wear the large Farah Hoops!
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
I usually have what I want to wear in mind. I like thinking about how my jewelry will complement and complete the look I am seeking.
You and Amy are doing a ceramic/jewelry collaboration set to release this summer. What was this process like for you?
Oh my goodness, I am so excited about this! From the time I was first exposed to Amy’s jewelry, I have loved her aesthetic. She creates pieces that are so distinctive. They are elegant in their simplicity and modernity, and I always feel pulled together, stylish and confident when I wear Amy’s jewelry. When Amy approached me about a collaboration, I was thrilled! Finding ways to incorporate beautiful ceramic adornments with the sterling silver and other metals Amy works with, is so exciting! No question there are challenges; maintaining the lightness and elegance of Amy’s designs, while incorporating this new material is first and foremost. We are both so excited to explore the endless surface treatment possibilities. This is my first collaboration of this type, and I am so thrilled by the possibilities!
Amy and Jenny at Artsville Amesbury June 23-26
Where can we find your work in person, Jenny?
I am participating in Artsville Amesbury from June 23-26. Amy and I are sharing a shanty and are unveiling some of our collaborative pieces! We are neighbors with jeweler Theresa Gannett, potter Ali Greenberg, and artist Ann Johnson and photographer Diane Mondalto I also participate in three other shows annually- two held at Purple Sage Pottery, every spring and fall, and one at 2 Rivers Ceramics in early December. Some of my pieces are carried throughout the year at Valerie’s Gallery in Newburyport. I also welcome people approaching me directly and visiting my home studio.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On. You can check out more of Jenny’s beautiful work HERE. And please be sure to come visit Jenny and I to check out our new collection at Artsville Amesbury from June 23-26.
And ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off of Jenny’s favorite AVE styles, the Fela Hoops, the Mala Studs and the Farah Hoops. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Jackie Deorocki
At the end of each As Seen On, we always ask for nominations for future ASO blog posts. Last month, we got one: My friend Kerry wrote simply “I nominate Jackie Deorocki.” I have a running list, years worth of people, that I am planning on highlighting. But it is a special kind of fun to profile someone who wasn’t on my radar for As Seen On, someone that I get to learn more about, understand better, become closer to...
I have known Jackie for years now, our circles overlapping the way that circles do in our little city of Amesbury. I have always loved to see her smiling face around town; greeting me from behind the bar at Starlite or Flatbread, visiting me to buy a new pair of earrings at my studio or at a local market, collaborating on a fundraiser for a friend lost too young.
Writing As Seen On has been a great journey for me over the last few years, an “Ode to the Wearers”, a way to showcase, thank, and discover more about the people that have supported me and my work. Truly, this process has been such a gift for me, to piece together these posts, and to share my ode, their story, with you.
I am so very grateful to Jackie for taking the time to be interviewed and profiled for this edition of As Seen On, and would love for you to take a look
xo
Amy
PS: When you get to the end and it says “If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear,” I mean every word!
Jackie wearing one-of-a-kind encaustic + brass earrings
Jackie, please tell us a bit about yourself (where you are from, what you do, hobbies, anything you would like to share)
I am from Amesbury and until about a year and a half ago I lived there my whole life. I'm sure I'll be back some day :) I am working for The Flatbread Co. at their Portsmouth location. I worked for the company all through high school and college. I have been all over the place in other fields and restaurants over the last 8 years but it's really nice to feel like I'm home. In my spare time I love to take photos of anything and everything, but my favorite models are my dog, Oliver and my 2 nieces. They are 1 and 2 and just the most fun ever. I also love to spend time with family and friends and travel whenever I can.
You and another fellow AVE wearer work together at Flatbread Co. in Portsmouth…what are some of your favorite things about your job and working with Heide?
One of my favorite things about working for Flatbread is how much they care about the communities they are in and how important it is to keep each other well. I started working for them when I was 15 and it played a huge part in who I am today. They have ALWAYS been ahead of the curve with being green and taking care of the community and the people around them. And it is awesome getting to go to work everyday with people who have the same values and really care about the product they put out and taking care of each other. And of course, getting to be back working with Heide is amazing. We both worked for the company in past lives but didn't meet until Starlite opened. And then the craziness of the past few years brought us both back to Flatbread. She's such a great boss and human. She has such a calming, welcoming way about her and I'm lucky to call her a friend. And it helps that we get to double our AVE supply because we can share them hahaha
The Starlite Crew <3
Amesbury seems like a very special place. What are your favorite things about the city? How have you seen it change over the years? What are some of your favorite spots/businesses/things to do in Amesbury?
Amesbury will always hold such a special place in my heart. It's amazing to see how far our little city has come since I was little. It has really come alive and there is so much to do now. Growing up there was like 2 restaurants and not a ton of shopping/things to do. Now you could spend the whole day walking around shopping and snacking, visiting the coffee shops and breweries and shopping along the way. It's hard to pick a FAVORITE spot in town but I cannot swing through without stopping at either Market Square Bakehouse or Ovedia for coffee before going into Caravan and doing some shopping! Definitely a great addition to our downtown! Anyone who hasn't gone in yet, you must! But my absolute favorite thing about our little city is how the community really rallies around each other when anyone is in need. I've seen it countless times whether it be for me and my family personally or anyone else in town. The local businesses and restaurants are always so willing to donate no questions asked and the community is always willing to lend a hand or volunteer time and time again. It really is a beautiful thing and makes people feel a little less alone during the hard times.
How do you and Amy come to know each other?
I first met Amy while working at Phat Cats. We didn't know each other well but it was always a pleasure chatting and waiting on her. And then when Starlite opened and I was bartending there I got to know her more. Unfortunately, we suffered the loss of our manager and mutual friend and Amy, along with many others, was so supportive and really helped us to push forward and continued to come in and was just such a positive energy. I'm not sure if Amy knows how much her presence and energy and support meant to us. Again, this little city has some amazing people and really knows how to step it up and be there for each other.
What attracted you to Amy’s designs? And what piece(s) of Amy’s can you be seen wearing?
What I love most about Amy's work is how versatile it is. I can wear it day to day (and I do, almost everyday) but her pieces are also so elegant that they are the perfect addition to any outfit for any event. And they are comfortable! The Uma ring is a permanent fixture on my hand. Seriously, I never take it off. The Dunne Hoops were the first thing I ever got from Amy. I think I got them at one of the Mother's Day Markets at Silvaticus and I still wear them constantly. My other go-tos these days are the Arrow or Lock Dangles. And I have my eye on some of her latest hoop styles! I'm overdue for a new pair to add to the collection ;)
Can you tell us about your friend Jordan Shay?
I could talk about Jordan for days! He was one of the best people you could ever meet. We met in elementary school. I had just moved to the neighborhood and our moms became fast friends while waiting at the bus stop with us. The rest is history. We did everything together. We spent holidays and vacations together. He would stay with us when his mom went away and vice versa. He was more like a brother to me. As we got older and had other groups of friends that never changed. We still always made time for each other and I was always so excited to see him walk in the room. Jordan joined the Army in 2006 and lost his life during his second tour in Iraq. He was, and still is, my favorite person ever. If you were lucky enough to know him, you were one of the luckiest people in the world.
And I understand that there is a fundraiser in his name- can you tell us about that event, what it raises money for, and how readers might be able to help?
In a "just in case letter," he clearly stated that if something should happen to him that a scholarship fund be started in his name for students who "wanted to make a difference in the world" and from there the Sgt Jordan M Shay Scholarship was started. As of this year we have awarded over $200,000 in scholarships and innovative grants to the Amesbury schools and students. More recently we have expanded to helping local veterans in need as well. On May 5 we will be holding our annual bowling tournament to raise money for the foundation. It amazes us every year the momentum and excitement about the event and keeping Jordan's legacy alive. Again, this town is amazing. We had to take the last two years off due to the pandemic but we are so excited to be back at it this year!
While the team slots filled up fast there is still so much to do the night of the event between raffles, axe throwing, etc. It is a really fun time and anyone is welcome to pop in. We're also always looking for volunteers to sell Red Sox raffle tickets leading up to the event or for raffle items from local businesses and artists. If anyone is interested in donating or purchasing raffle tickets they can go to our website for different ways to get involved
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On. Please be sure to check out Jackie’s photography on Instagram @inmylifephotography
And ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off of Jackie’s favorite AVE styles, the Uma Ring, the Dunne Hoops, the Arrow Dangles and the Lock Dangles. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Amy Brnger
Next week, painter Amy Brnger and I are teaching an Artists in Business workshop through the Winslow Art Center, where we will be sharing the habits and practices that have helped us each launch and grow our own art businesses. As I have been preparing for this class, and thinking about the path that my own business has taken, I can’t help but reminisce about my over-decades and over-oceans friendship with Amy Brnger.
We met for the first time in Italy in the fall of 2002. I was one of eleven students in the first-ever semester of the UNH-in-Italy program in Ascoli Piceno. Amy was there with her husband Craig Hood, my UNH art professor, and their sweet daughter Audrey, and all of us were stumbling our way around this quaint, medieval, not-a-whole-lot-of-English-happening, tiny Italian city, mid-calf, near the Adriatic.This was before smartphones, no one had their own computer, just the shared one at the bookstore where we would wait in line for a 15 minutes session to check our email. We played chess and ate slices street pizza in the Piazza del Popolo. We devoured olive ascolane, and learned how to pit the olives, stuff them with ground meat and fry them too. We drank Anisette Milette and vino rosso and wandered over bridges built by Romans centuries ago. We (kind of) learned Italian and art history in an old Papal paper mill made of travertine. We washed our own clothes by hand in the sink. My jeans could have walked themselves to class.
A few weeks into our time there, I started babysitting for Audrey. We would go for walks and play hide and seek, and I would pretend to take my thumb off and make it disappear, dancing that edge between terror and glee until Amy and Craig would get home. When the semester ended, we all went back to New Hampshire, and still babysat for Audrey while I finished up my degree at UNH. And then I started teaching in Lawrence, then Italy, and Hungary, and Cayman, and our paths diverged, and diverged, and diverged.
But in January of 2016, our paths converged again, and we found ourselves in a new foreign land : business. I was sitting in an auditorium in Portland, Maine at a wholesale/trade show workshop with my wonderful new jeweler-friend Glynis Dixon of Earth Metalworks and when I saw Amy and her unmistakable curly q hair sitting a few rows up. We ended up having lunch together that day, sharing notes and laughs, hopes and strategies, and have continued meeting about these very same things over coffee every other month or so, for the last 6 years.
I am so very grateful for all of the love and support that these ladies have shown me through the years, and to Amy for taking the time to be interviewed and profiled for this edition of As Seen On.
-Amy
[interview below by Kayla Doyle + photos of Amy in her studio by Jesika Theos]
Amy Brnger wearing the Numa Studs in sterling silver at one of our favorite business meeting haunts, Lil’s in Kittery
Amy, please tell us about your history with art and painting.
Art has been in my daily life since childhood. I read a lot and spent quite a bit of time drawing (I loved paint by numbers!). I studied art at UNH and was not a remarkable talent. After graduating, the best thing I did for myself was to keep painting. It took me a long time, but I did actually learn to paint and developed a firm identity as an artist. Now I can’t imagine my life without it.
Where and how do you find inspiration?
Nature. As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy walking. Walking is one of those activities that allows you to enjoy seeing very small and insignificant things as well as grand vistas. I also derive a lot of satisfaction and comfort with home. It’s one of the reasons I paint interiors, but not as often as I’d like. I need to really feel like I understand a space before I can paint it with conviction.
Over the past two years, what has shifted for you, either personally or professionally?
I left my long time, part-time employment last month. This is going to be a big, positive change for me. Already I feel different. My work outside of art was good and important to me, but I juggled two careers ever since graduating from college. My mind feels clearer and I also feel like I can take a day off from all work now, without guilt!
What are some other important aspects of you and your life?
Home and family are important to me. They help create and support my artistic life. If I didn’t have my family, I’m not sure I would be making the same kind of paintings. Being outside is a necessity; I walk in almost any weather and, when I can’t, I can feel a real difference in my body and temperament.
How did you first come to meet Amy V? I believe your connection first sparked abroad?
Amy and I met when we were in Italy, in the town of Ascoli Piceno. Amy was a student in the art program at UNH and I was there with my husband, Craig Hood (one of Amy’s professors) and my daughter, Audrey. Amy babysat our daughter and taught her a missing thumb magic trick that I still cannot replicate.
And from there, how did your friendship grow or evolve?
Amy and I met up at a self-employment workshop geared toward artists. We reconnected quickly and started to meet regularly, along with some other artists, as a way to support each other as we became business owners.
Small Business Support Group :) Photo by painter Kim Ferriera of painter Amy Brnger, jeweler Glynis Dixon, and me!
How have you and Amy supported each other as friends, artists, and business-owners?
We have a nice connection and ease with one another that has developed over the past ten years or so. Amy is both fun and serious, always approachable. I appreciate having a long time friendship with her because we can ask each other questions, out of the blue, and always know we will get an answer. And we can also turn the conversation to fun things just as fast. We freely share professional information with one another. That is a huge relief to me.
What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically style these?
My Cheval Hoops are probably my favorite, because I seem to wear them a lot! Until recently, I had a LOT of curly hair (I just chopped it off) and my earrings were always a little challenging to see. Now my earrings are very visible, so I’m curious if I will wear other styles. In terms of fashion, I am unremarkable. But I do like accessories! I wear her earrings with jeans and vests most often, but they always look nice when I dress up.
:)
Kayla and I thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On. Please be sure to check out amybrnger.com to learn more about our Amy and her artwork, and please consider joining us on Feb 9th for our Artist in Business workshop through the Winslow Art Center. Click here for more info
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off Amy’s favorite AVE styles, the Cheval Hoops and the Numa Studs. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Ann Johnson
There is something especially sacred about spaces that remain familiar or unchanged. They seem increasingly more rare these days but they do exist: coffee shops, health food grocers, hardware stores come to mind. A known place can feel as familiar as our own hands, the just-right fit of a piece of clothing, the smells and sounds of a particular time of year. The power of our senses should be noted - they are our vehicle for nostalgia, comfort, gratitude, longing, or joy.
The Artists’ Muse Studios in Amesbury, Massachusetts is, in so many ways, an unchanged and familiar place; a trip back in time. When you enter there is the hefty green door and its cumbersome open, the narrow and steep staircase, the collection of business cards pinned just as they should be, the creak of the floorboards, the old Soft-soap bottle refilled and reused and placed next to the sink.
If we are lucky, nostalgia can be lived out not only in place but in people. When I enter the studio, I always look to my left right after I pass through the door. I look to see if Ann Johnson is working in her studio - the same studio space that I learned to paint in as a kid with Joan Gessner. How quickly I can see it all again.
Ann and I were both lucky to learn from Joan. When I was younger, Ann was a familiar face at pickup and drop-off times. As the adult watercolor class concluded, I’d sometimes see her and Joan evaluating from a distance her latest work.
It’s special when something goes unchanged but change can also provide a sense of peace. The latter can happen when the change or evolvement of something to us, feels exactly as it should be.
Ann, it’s special to see you occupying the former studio space of someone who we both loved. You are a part of the familiarity and the maintaining of a place that feels special to so many artists.
I hope as you work, you can always touch with the Artists’ Muse nostalgia and the peace within change.
kayla doyle
Ann wearing the mini Mina Hoops and the Cavo Necklace
The Amesbury Open Studio Tour is coming up on November 13th + 14th. What do you love about inviting people in to explore the spaces?
My favorite thing about Open Studios is when someone says they “never knew this (The Muse) was here in Amesbury.” Sharing the art and connecting with people is what open studios is all about.
How did you first come to meet Amy?
We met when Amy moved in to the Artists’ Muse seven years ago.
How has working in a shared studio space with Amy and the other artist shifted, expanded, or modified how you think about art and creating?
I love that we have an open floor plan. I consider Amy a friend, peer and teacher. I love that we can ask advice or for a critique of something we are working on. It's great to have that support. I think I am more open to asking questions and asking for advice on a painting than I ever was before. I think as artists we are afraid of the negative but that is what makes us better.
Does sharing an art space feel like a community or supportive group? How have seen your connections expand from it?
I feel really supported by the other artists. I don’t feel like we are in competition. We all bring our own ideas and art to the table. I have been at the Muse for almost 17 years now and it has always been that way!
I’d love to hear a bit more about your history with art, painting, and what makes it feel so special to you.
Wow, tough one. I have been painting since I was 10 or 11. I have been really lucky to have great teachers along the way. I physically miss painting when I haven’t had the time to pick up a brush. I have to say a good thing to come out of COVID is that I had more time to paint and draw. I also started keeping sketch books something I had never done before. I am on my third one!
I understand that you have worked with an array of mediums. Do you have a favorite? What medium do you work with primarily?
Again, really tough question. I started in watercolor. Many say that is the hardest, I guess I didn’t know any better! I like the forgiveness of oils, the vibrancy of pastels, and the speed of watercolors. I’ve set up a little studio in my house and have gotten back into watercolors and attempting gouache.
How do you approach a blank canvas?
With fear and dread! Again I think the sketch book has really helped. Sometimes I will work out a painting there first and then try for the canvas. I really want to try and paint on larger canvases. I generally paint on the small side.
Do you ever struggle with the need to create or feel pressure to paint?
Yes, I feel it if I don’t get to the studio, this summer I really haven’t painted there too much. I feel a little guilty. I’m hard on myself that way. I’m also getting better about knowing when a painting isn’t working and it is ok to put it down, or start over or throw it away. You learn something from everything you paint.
Where and how do you find inspiration?
I paint mostly landscapes and still life. I love being outside, I always have a camera with me. I was hiking the other day with a painter friend. We were on a beautiful cliff looking down at the water and she asked what colors I would mix to get the color of the water. That is pretty much me all the time. I’m always asking if something would be a good painting or what colors would I use! I think many artists feel the same way.
I believe you also teach painting lessons, is that right? Who do you typically work with and what has teaching taught you? I have really just started teaching. I have 2 students, one adult and one teen. I have found that it is hard for me sometimes to put into words something I have been doing for years. I have all this knowledge and it can be difficult to get it out in a coherent way! At times I feel like a babbling idiot! But it is getting better. I am fortunate that the 2 students I have are very talented and are very forgiving. I do enjoy teaching though. I hope to have a few more students in the new year.
Anything else you'd like to share as it relates to your artwork, Ann?
I do not have any deep philosophical feelings about painting. I love to paint, I love to capture what I have seen and how it made me feel. I hope my art makes people happy or remember something joyful in their life,
A little vignette from Ann’s studio
I understand that you work with Our Neighbors Table in Amesbury, Mass. What is your role with ONT?
I am the Office Manager until December 23rd! I am retiring!
Are there goals that you set for yourself or, the organization sets for this time of year in terms of supporting fellow community members?
The holidays are always a busy and sometimes difficult time of year. We are lucky to live in our comfortable bubbles and there are so many struggling people in our area. I just try to be as supportive as possible to the staff and to our guests.
What does volunteering for you represent? Has volunteering/working for ONT expanded you and your life personally?
I started as a volunteer and then came on as staff. I think that volunteering, wherever it may be, makes us whole. To give back to humanity is how we should live our lives. We are all connected. To know that you have helped a Mom put food on the table for her children and herself or helping a senior on a fixed income get healthy food without sacrificing rent or heat is huge. The genuine gratitude I see and hear every day is humbling.
How can people best support Our Neighbors Table this holiday season?
Honestly, the best way to help is with a monetary donation. ONT can make that dollar go so much further than you or I can. ONT has access to food resources at a much lower cost than you or me. If that is difficult, toiletries are always needed. They aren’t covered by SNAP benefits and many go without soap, toilet paper or feminine products. Volunteering is also a good way to help. It has been tough with COVID but there are in person and remote opportunities.
Our Neighbors Table, a place near and dear to our hearts
What pieces of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically style them?
I love simple pieces. I wear Amy’s earrings just about everyday. Dressed up and dressed down. I have 9 pairs! My go-to favorites are the Midi Hoops and Mina Hoops.
Is it an everyday piece for you or a special occasion, a statement?
Everyday! I don’t wear really big pieces. But typically I will wear one of her necklaces and earrings. Either Vivi, Arbus or my constant companion, Cavo.
Is Jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
I usually finish up with the jewelry.
Ann + her daughter Cate (wearing the Kon Dangles)
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please be sure to check out annjohnsonfineart.com to learn more about our Ann and her artwork, and please come visit all of us at the Artists’ Muse during Amesbury Open Studios this weekend!
Please know that we will not be hosting our our annual Kick-Off Party on Friday evening this year, and we are asking everyone to please wear a mask while you visit our studio. Also, we will be collecting toiletries to donate to Our Neighbors Table. Please consider bringing in a couple of items to share with your neighbors, if you have any to spare.
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off Ann’s favorite AVE styles, the Mina Hoops, Midi Hoops and the Cavo Necklace. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Kassandra Gove
In the spirit of transparency, this post is not impartial. It is very much partial, very enthusiastically biased.
I first rented my mill studio on Water Street in Amesbury 7 years ago and then I moved to the city a year later. It takes me about 4 and a half minutes to walk from my home down the hill, through the Upper Millyard and the city center to the Artist Muse Studio on Water Street. In that walk, I usually smile, nod, say hello to so many people that I have come to know during my time living + working here, serving coffee + designing jewelry here, running + walking + hiking here, supporting + being so very supported here. One of those people is Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove.
Kassandra and I came to know each other while she was the head of the Amesbury Chamber of Commerce and I was a barista next door at the Market Square Bakehouse . She has been a champion of mine from the beginning, kind and gracious with each coffee served, and ever-supportive of my new jewelry business that I was launching in town: profiling me as a Success Story on the front page of the Chamber’s website, sharing my stationery with her clients during her days as a realtor, selecting one of my early encaustic paintings during Amesbury Open Studios for her own home, and numerous earrings to accessorize for her days at City Hall. Every time I see her at an event in Amesbury, and she is sporting the Sanctum or Mina Hoops, I get a little heart-burst of gratitude.
Mayor Gove took office in January of 2020. I went to her inauguration and blinked back tears of hope, of joy, of pride for the smart, tireless, gutsy, articulate, passionate woman that we had chosen. I am so very grateful for all that she has done for the city, for me personally, for my business, and for taking the time to be interviewed and profiled for this edition of As Seen On.
Amy
[interview below by kayla doyle]
Kassandra, can you tell us a bit about your path to becoming the Mayor of Amesbury? Where have you lived, worked, what have been your steps and stops along the way?
I grew up in Amesbury but left for college and graduate school. I studied in the south (Jacksonville University- Florida and USC-South Carolina) and studied abroad in Sydney Australia, and then returned to Amesbury. My professional career began in higher education administration, specifically alumni and donor relations. Through work at Clark University, Boston University, the Amesbury Chamber of Commerce, and Stone Ridge Properties I honed my skills in community building, constituent relations, communications and marketing. I started working when I was young and have always had more than one job until I became Mayor. I’ve done everything from a paper route, to retail, to working at a small airport and even marshaled in a plane once.
Mayor Gove wearing the Sanctum Hoops in sterling + brass
You have a taste for embarking on physical challenges - cold water swimming in the winter and climbing all of the 4000 footers in NH. What do these challenges teach you and and how do these lessons come through in other areas of your life?
I do! It started with a Susan G Komen 3 Day when I walked 60 miles. The whole experience taught me to be grateful for my abilities and to use them- especially on behalf of others when I can. Then I started running half marathons which led to a marathon and a few Reach the Beach races (200 miles in 24 hours with a relay team). I took a few years off after that and I missed having a challenge to keep me moving and make my brain work in a way it doesn’t at home or at the office. That’s when I started the 48-4,000 footers. Every mile, every hike, every cold-water dip, has turned into a reminder that whatever I hype something up to be in my mind as I prepare is never as bad as I think it will be. It’s a great way to get outside of my comfort zone. Maybe this is training in some way for handling difficult situations as Mayor and allows me to handle them head on and with grace.
Speaking of challenges: What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career?
The answer to this might forever be jumping into crisis leadership during a global pandemic.
What has surprised you about your role as Mayor?
I studied leadership and have held many leadership roles. Until being the Mayor I don’t think I’d given as much thought to the transient nature of the role. The City has staff who have worked here for decades. They know they could get a new boss every 2 years. That dynamic is really interesting, especially from my shoes. Their perspective and professional expertise mean so much to our future but the residents are so much more invested in the Mayor. The additional challenge of new leadership bringing in new ideas and sometimes totally abandoning others is so detrimental to progress and can waste time and money. It’s an interesting organizational structure for someone coming from more of a business and non profit background where owners and boards help maintain consistency when staff turns over.
Amesbury has gone through many changes in your lifetime. What do you hope never changes about this special city?
I’ve led many conversations about what makes Amesbury special and the people here always rise to the top. I hope that the community and family feel never changes. We’re a community built on hard work, a place where restaurant owners visit your table and take a turn in the kitchen, neighbors shovel you out, and help with hospital bills. A lot of new people are moving to Amesbury but we have a good mix with those who go back generations. I hope that history and sense of community sticks around.
Where or how do you find personal peace or enjoyment? Are you ever able to “shut off” or set boundaries around your responsibilities as Mayor?
When the photo of me in my pajamas at 1am painting the crosswalk hit the Amesbury Facebook page I realized there were officially no more boundaries. Haha!
Cliche for a politician but I like golfing and it’s easy to ‘shut off’ on the course because you really can’t use your phone and people can’t usually find you. I also like to go for walks and try to fit them in at lunch when I can.
Otherwise, I really love everything I get to do as mayor and would do it in my daily life otherwise. All of the fairs, festivals, games, events, etc. are just part of my every day.
What inspires you? What do you look for when you are shopping? How does your style reflect your personality?
I need to be able to get ready fast and transition between all kinds of engagements throughout the day. So, I look for good staples. I try to keep things simple, classic, approachable and flexible. I can’t be worried about being uncomfortable… I could be with a constituent or camera at any moment. Kate Middleton is my fashion inspiration!
Mayor Gove in the Mina Hoops, photo by Kate Donovan
How did you and Amy first connect?
I’m not sure I remember! It might have found her first on an Open Studio Tour years ago. I think that’s it.
[amy here : please see intro}
What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing?
I own the Mina Hoops, and the Sanctum Hoops in brass and sterling, and the Cora Threaders in sterling silver. I wear my Sanctum Hoops multiple times a week. I dress them up and down. They go with everything! They have just enough shine but offer texture and feel earthy too.
What emotions or feelings do you experience when wearing your favorite AVE pieces?
Confidence. I feel polished when I have my AVE pieces on. Like they’re the perfect finishing touch. For years I’ve said I’m not good at accessorizing, I just didn’t feel like my style was complete. My hoops take my basics to another level and I feel like I have what I need for any outfit.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please be sure to check out kassandragove.com to learn more about our Mayor of Amesbury and don’t forget to vote on November 2nd!
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off Kassandra’s favorite AVE styles, the Mina Hoops , the Cora Threaders, and the Sanctum Hoops. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Michelle Riaz
[introduction + interview by kayla doyle]
I have never really liked beer.
I have tried everything from sours, to IPAs, pumpkin ales with sugary rims, coffee porters, and even heavy stouts, much to the suggestion of others. “You’ll grow to like it,” some have said, “You just have to find the kind you like."
About three years ago, I decided and started to state more firmly, that nope, I am not a beer drinker. I have mostly made peace with this, although there are still moments when I wish I liked beer...moments when I find myself at breweries.
Ah, breweries. I love the community, loud beer hall activity, live music, outdoor beer gardens, communal tables, the casual standing, drinking, snacking, mingling that breweries offer. I love that it’s acceptable to show up to a brewery in athletic clothing after a run or a casual day exploring a different town. I love the friendliness, the food trucks, and the fun events that they host. I even love the shiny tanks that resemble the crafting or making of something local, original, and good.
Also, the people I love, love breweries. Sure, it feels a little awkward when ale-orders are being swung around but soon, I carve out a little space for myself and I’m just enjoying it like everyone else. A little uncomfortable at first but then, “You just grow to like it!”
Recently I spoke with Michelle Riaz who is an Amy Vander Els wearer, local Amesbury resident, and the co-owner of Brewery Silvaticus in Amesbury, MA. I forgot to ask if she was a beer drinker.
Here, here!
KD
Michelle, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am originally from Brooklyn, New York. Jay (my husband) and I have lived in a lot of different places before settling in Amesbury, Mass. When we first started dating we moved to the Mountain View, California for 4 yrs then back to NYC for 3 years, then to Denali Park, Alaska for 5 years and here we are now in Amesbury. Curiosity, work, a love of exploration and travel have moved us all about the country.
You and Jay own and operate Brewery Silvaticus in Amesbury, MA. What do you love about the work that you do?
We love creating a welcoming environment for our patrons, where they can enjoy good beer with family & friends, meet new people, and feel at ease. We have met so many wonderful people at the brewery who we have become dear friends with, who we have collaborated with and who may even work with us now. It's all about this community.
Jay Bullen + Michelle Riaz, Silvaticus Brewery
The brewery is located in an interesting part of town, in the same mill building as Amy’s jewelry studio. What made you choose this location for Silvaticus?
The brewery is located in an old boiler room that used to power the mills. We are the first establishment in the space and have been able to bring it back to life in a different industry. We selected this location because it was important for us to be in an inspiring beautiful space, which it truly is. Plus we’re located right on the PowWow River, with outdoor seating, next to parking and walkable to all places downtown….We love it!
Silvaticus Brewery (and my studio window, 2nd floor on the right side)
I am not a beer drinker but I love breweries as they are a more casual place where people can come together. Silvaticus has long tables and feels quite open as a space. What were your intentions as you did the build-out for the brewery.
Communal seating, no TVs, family friendly. It's all about enjoying the simplicity of conversation and good beer in a welcoming environment.
The taproom
You and Jay moved to Amesbury and started the brewery in 2017. What has this little city meant to you and how have you seen it change since you moved here?
It’s comforting to live and work somewhere that you know your neighbors, traffic stops when you go to cross the street, strangers say “hello” and “good morning”. I'm not used to that growing up in NYC. Living in this small, close-knit community, you always run into someone you know whether you're grabbing a coffee, a beer, going for a hike or at the grocery store. There is something very comforting about that.
Someone once said, you guys are shaking up this little town. Having coffee shops and breweries downtown that are community orientated has definitely drawn more young people and families to Amesbury.
Have you always been in the service or food/beverage industry? What else have you explored or tried?
My background for most of my life has been in retail management & HR. In addition to Silvaticus, I also work for a non profit organization that provides cultural exchange opportunities for university students from around the world. This job has afforded me the opportunity to travel all over the globe and helps me do some good in this world.
What did 2020 and the start of 2021 help you remember or learn? Either personally or, as a business owner.
Personally, that slowing down and enjoying some of the simpler parts of life is just as satisfying if not more than being busy all the time with work and travel. Don’t get me wrong, I have itchy feet and can't wait to start traveling again but having the time to make our new house our home, adding a puppy to our family and chilling outdoors or by a fire has been wonderful too. As a business owner, we are so grateful to be part of such a wonderful community that has been supportive through every pivot and challenge the pandemic has challenged us with.
You’ve hosted everything from yoga classes and artisan markets at Silvaticus. What do you like about holding or hosting these events? What does it add or bring to the brewery and the community at large?
Silvaticus is so much more than a taproom. The events we host give me a platform to bring an element of what is important to me to our business. Jay makes great beer, there is no denying that. My contribution to our business and what is important to me is to use our space in creative ways that invites new folks to our taproom for a plethora of reasons. From yoga classes, to food trucks, to makers markets, to run club, to trivia to puppy adoption fundraisers - Silvaticus is a space for all. We are Amesbury’s brewery. I can’t begin to tell you how many wonderful people I have met because of all the events we have hosted.
The beer garden on food truck night (pre-Covid obv)
Speaking of events, please tell us about the artisan market that is coming up soon.
Our upcoming Silvaticus Mother’s Day Market happening on Saturday, May 1 from 11am to 4pm, and will be held outdoors in the Lower Millyard with 15+ vendors! It's a curated group of local artists, makers and business owners who each bring something unique to the market. It's going to an absolutely amazing event. All must come!
How did you come to connect with Amy? How did you meet and start working together?
It’s hard to remember if we met first over beer at the brewery or coffee at the Bakehouse. Amy's studio is next door to the brewery. I have admired her jewelry from the get-go and I probably made it a point to meet her. I pretty much wear her earrings exclusively now. Amy and I share a love of travel, nature, and working with the community. We have collaborated on organizing and promoting the market together. Couldn't do it without her!
What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically wear them?
The Mina Hoops - they are everyday pieces that make a statement and I wear them all the time, mainly with a top bun and jeans or overalls.
Michelle in the Mina Hoops , Gia Studs with turquoise, Carnelian Necklace + Silvaticus Hoodie
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please be sure to check out silvaticusbeers.com to learn more about this special brewery in the heart of Amesbury. And we’d love to see you at the Mother’s Day Market on Saturday, May 1, 11a-4pm in the Lower Millyard before stopping by the beer garden for a pint with your friends. Actually, after. Why don’t you come after? Tipsy shopping is the best.
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off Michelle’s favorite AVE style, the Mina Hoops. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : David Bush
[introduction + interview by kayla doyle]
This is how the story goes:
Two people meet, and initially, starry-eyed, all they see is what they have in common: “We’re both creative.” or, “We share a love of puzzles and board games” or “We love the same music” and “We’re into athletic, outdoorsy activities”. We grab onto these similarities as a sign: “Ah yes, the creative couple - great match!”
As time ticks by, these same two people can come to see all the ways in which they differ:
“I’m the planner, she’s spontaneous” or, “He’s slower, more methodical with his process, I’m faster, much more impulsive” and, “He’s more solution-driven and practical, I can’t be bothered!”. “I’m a Cancer, she’s an Aries (gasp)!” These two similar people have somehow arrived at a place where they mostly see how different they both are from the other. After all, claiming or naming our differences from another person helps us define and hold onto what makes us who we are.
Generally speaking, it can start to become easier to spot the differences than the commonalities and similarities. These differences can sometimes cause hiccups, but a little polarity might just be mutually beneficial, helping us expand our way of thinking, doing, or creating with another person. If we can relax into the contrasts, accept them, understand them, and find playfulness in them, doesn’t that make that relationship more fun and interesting?
David Bush and Amy Vander Els find themselves happily partnered together. From learning more about David, one could say, they’re both “the creative type” yet David and Amy enjoy, find interesting, and appreciate their differences and their unique ways of creating. They both knowing that their relationship, built on similarities, has grown and thrived because of their contrasts. In kindly, softly understanding one another, they’ve found new ways to help each other flourish, to truly admire each other, and to see each other’s goodness.
It’s a curious kind of loving,
-Kmd
How did you and Amy first connect? Your first “meet-cute”(as they say in the movies)?
I first met Amy at Amesbury Open Studios 2015. She was sitting at her desk as I turned the corner into her studio. She smiled and said “hi”. We talked about her art and how she was an art teacher and what brought her to Amesbury. Amy has no recollection whatsoever of this encounter.
david, decordova museum
There is a particular workbench that Amy sits at, as she hammers, shapes, and files in her studio. You built this bench. Can you share with us the process? What were your hopes as you crafted and designed the tabletop for Amy?
One thing I love about Amy is how she makes things work. And she was really making her old workbench work. It was small and warped and wobbly, yet it didn’t prevent her from making beautiful jewelry. I wasn’t sure if the bench had been a gift or made for her by someone close so I delicately asked her if she would like “more room to work”. She was really excited about having a bench designed just for her. We then got started working on the plans.
my jewelry bench
You seem to be, in many ways, a renaissance man. Would you say this is true?
I remember when I was six or seven years old, my dad put a bathroom in the basement of the house we grew up in. He framed the walls, did the wiring and the plumbing, tiled the floor—basically, everything. I was too young to think much of it at the time, but when I got a little older I thought “how did he know how to do all that?” There was no internet, no YouTube. I wish I took the time to ask him while he was still alive because it’s still a mystery to me. Anyway, I guess I’ve always aspired to tackle things myself. But even with YouTube, I’m not sure I could pull off most what my dad did.
What do you appreciate and value in Amy?
That would be a very long list but simply put, Amy is good. She is truly good and that is at the heart of everything she does. Good emanates from her, follows her and comes back to her. It really is amazing to see and be around.
us
You have spent much of your career in the graphic and visual design spaces. Has this translated to or impacted other areas of what you enjoy or gravitate to?
Design has always been a practical thing for me—a solution to a problem. When Amy introduces me to people they inevitably ask “Are you an artist too?” and this question always makes me hesitate. Technically I’m considered to be a graphic artist, but I guess I think of myself as more of a visual engineer than a visual artist. I think that’s why I like to build physical things—like Amy’s workbench. Everything I create professionally is digital so I’m grateful that I have the ability to also create things that can be held and used.
You have also helped Amy with the design of her banners, signage, and her displays. I’d love to learn a little bit more about how you concepted these things. What did you keep in mind as you designed these for Amy? What did you feel was important as you thought about her style and jewelry work?
Amy is extremely intuitive when it comes to how she sees and promotes her work. She orchestrated the photoshoots that capture the essence of how she wants women to feel when they wear her jewelry and connect with her brand. I try to be very careful to not get in the way of that. I help Amy with the mechanics of it all but the vision is entirely hers.
Two creative people, together, can both independently benefit from watching the other create and share in the creative process together. Has Amy’s process of creativity shaped or changed yours?
Amy and I couldn't be more different in how we approach our work. I’m a planner. I need to fix mistakes in the plans, not the execution. Amy is fearless in her work—she just does it. I have so much respect for that. If I only had the ability to allow myself to be that free…
In your relationship and friendship with Amy, what have you learned?
I’ve learned how to be a better person. Really.
Do you wear or hold close any of Amy’s work or designs?
Amy made the silver ring I wear. It has a message on the inside from her. It also has dings and dents on the outside that are from the time I spend together with my boys in my shop or out working on mountain bike trails. I hold it close because it’s a reminder of how lucky I am.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please be sure to check out davidbushcreative.com to see a selection of David’s work., discuss a potential project, or just say ‘hello'‘
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off David’s favorite AVE styles, the Rae Necklace and the Carnelian and Pyrite Tension Earrings. Discount is automatically taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Michaela Linnehan
[interview by kayla doyle]
Where were you when you felt like you had started something?
Were you leaving an interview? Were you with friends, brainstorming, or taking a walk? Perhaps, you started to feel that little charge in a workshop, or a classroom setting.
Or maybe, you were in a garage, surrounded by shovels, lawn equipment, motorcycles.
See, when we start something new, it can feel like a spark. There is a certain power in the idea, craft, or product and we’re hooked. All of a sudden, we feel it come over us, and it doesn't necessarily matter where we are, what we’re surrounded by, or what we have to make it happen.
This month’s As Seen On interview is of Michaela Linnehan, who assists Amy in the studio and is moonlighting as her own business owner and jewelry maker/designer for her business, Raw Silver Co. She is currently making her jewelry designs out of her mom + dad’s garage, surrounded by motorcycles and dirt bikes, doors flung open for fresh air and possibilities.
Michaela, thank you for sharing with us more about what you see for yourself in the future. You reminded me that we can be where we are, with the door and our hearts open flung open.
-kmd
Michaela, your interest in jewelry making started in high school in your metalsmithing class. If you think back to that time, what was your biggest learning or takeaway? Were you hooked after that one class?
Right off the bat, I loved jewelry class with Ms. Backstrom at Winnacunnet High School. [Side note, Amy also attended WHS, interned with Karen Backstrom when she was getting her teaching degree, and took an Intro Jewelry course with her through their adult ed program] It wasn’t just the jewelry, it was the spirit in the room. I loved learning about stones in the classroom and what stones look good with different designs. My biggest take away from that class was learning what my mistakes were without a consequence because it was in a school setting.
michaela wearing the inuksuk dangles in 14kt gold fill + amazonite
You note on your website that you created your own studio at the age of 19 years old. Can you give us a glimpse into what that space looks and feels like to you?
Right now, I am working in my parent’s garage on a steel bench. I always keep the garage door open so it feels like an open space. I have motorcycles and dirt bikes behind me so I have to be careful where I move. I just got a 20x14 shed that I am remodeling to be a studio for myself.
Stonework is a big part of your jewelry and designs and in my experience, it’s a bit of a different game. What about stones is appealing or fun for you?
I love stones and the way they are created by the earth. Before COVID, I would go to stone shows all the time to hand pick what stones to put in my jewelry. Jewelry also helps you define your style and who you are so adding stones just gives it a more natural and fun vibe. I pick stones that I would wear and I look for certain shapes and what I can do to make the stone look its best.
Do you have a favorite moment of the process? For example, the moment when you brush off the tarnish, pull something out of the pickle, or package up and ship off?
My favorite thing is polishing! Polishing feels like the final step where I know what the ring truly will look like when I send it out. Polishing the silver gives it such a beautiful shine.
Do you have future plans for your jewelry business? New lines or ways you see it growing/expanding?
I plan on just making jewelry and adding it to my website as I go for now. I’m starting off slowly to get a grasp on owning my own business and learning along the way. In the future, I hope to grow my business to maybe wholesale to retailers.
Would you be willing to share a bit about how you know Amy, and what it’s like working with her?
I’ve known Amy since I was born; she is my aunt's best friend. Amy would always be at the family parties and everyone in my family always adored her for how sweet and caring she is. I never imagined taking this path when I was little. Working with Amy is fun and very educational. Amy is always there to give a helping hand.
Do you wear Amy’s pieces? Do you have a favorite?
Yes! My favorites are Gira Dangles which I am wearing right now and the Inuksuk Dangles! I love wearing them with a winter hat, jeans and a comfy sweater.
What has it been like for you working with another jewelry artist/maker?
It’s really fun! I feel as though Amy and I have very different styles and it’s always fun making jewelry that I normally wouldn’t create on my own. Working with Amy opens up my mind to ideas of designing that I would have never thought of otherwise. I’ve learned a lot about wire wrapping which was never a strength for me. Amy has also been helping me with understanding and learn about what it is like to own your own business.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please be sure to check out @raw.silverco and www.rawsilverco.com to see more of Michaela’s beautiful work.
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off Michaela’s picks, the Inuksuk Dangles and the Gira Dangles. Discount is taken at checkout.
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Grace Vander Els
[intro + interview by kayla doyle]
There is a theory going around that there are creative people and non-creative people. You’re either born creative and creatively talented or you're not.
In elementary school, kids are early on “identified” as creative. If you’re not deemed a creative kid, then maybe you’re flagged a sports kid, or a math kid, or good at academics. Gifted, smart, athletic, artistic, creative.
We’re labeled so early on and this labeling often stays with us as adults:
“She’s so creative”
“She’s very athletic”
You’re either creative or not. Athletic or not.
We use our labels to determine how good or bad we expect to be at something. And this is a dangerous thing. Because this dictates or shapes our reality and in some ways, what we choose to engage in or not. But the funny thing is, we’re all creative as kids. We build, shape, design dreams, write, think, believe. That’s before someone labels us.
This September, Amy Vander Els and her niece, Grace are releasing a new line of jewelry called Grace X Amy. In anticipation of this launch, I had the chance to speak with Grace about what inspired this line, what she loves about making jewelry and, what she enjoys.
Grace, congratulations on your first line - hopefully one of many! May you always be creative and create and, may you never adhere to a label.
Here’s to us all keeping our creativity.
-kmd
Grace, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm 15 years old and I'm a sophomore in high school. I love to hang out with my friends and family. I also love to play field hockey, basketball, and I just started playing tennis. During summer I like to go to the beach and during winter I like to ski. And I love to make jewelry :)
What are your favorite things to learn about in school?
I like math and science and I like learning about problems in our world and ways to solve them.
grace wearing the tiki studs and the caneel necklace
You and your Auntie Amy decided to create a line of jewelry together. Can you tell us about the inspiration for Grace X Amy?
We wanted the jewelry line to have a beach vibe. You can wear these pieces when you are swimming at the beach, going for a run, shooting a basketball around, and even sleeping. But these designs also look cute so you can wear them going out with your friends or family and can dress up any outfit. I named my jewelry pieces after some of my favorite beaches that I have been to.
What was your design process? What inspired these pieces? Do you have a favorite part of the process?
I started by sketching out some of my ideas and then we tried to create samples. We chose to use a lot of turquoise and carnelian because they have great meanings: turquoise is known to provide solace and give a sense of serenity and peace, and carnelian is known to provide motivation, endurance, leadership and courage. We wanted these pieces to be easy, pretty and comfy, and for you to be able to wear these pieces for all of your occasions. My favorite part of jewelry making is soldering.
What is your favorite piece from your new line and why?
I really like all of the pieces but my two favorites are the Tiki Studs in turquoise and the Mandal Anklet. I like them both because they look nice, I can wear them to anything and they are very comfortable to wear. And I love the turquoise because it reminds me of the ocean.
You have been working with Amy for a couple of years now. What do you enjoy the most about being in the studio together?
I love spending time with Auntie Amy. She has taught me so much about how to run a business and how to talk with customers. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have our own line of jewelry, it’s teaching me so much. She has also taught me that you can be working hard but still have a lot of fun.
What do you think about your Auntie Amy?
She is one of the nicest people I know. She is always open to trying new things and she is very adventurous <3 And she is very fun to be around and the best boss ever :)
Do you wear Amy’s jewelry?
I wear a lot of her earrings and necklaces. I really like her Short Staple Earrings because they are very unique and pretty and also the Cavo Ring.
What do you wear this piece/pieces with?
I usually wear jeans or leggings with sweaters or t-shirts.
What excites you about the future?
I am excited about all the new adventures I will have. I will be spending time with family and friends, traveling the world, and I will always know how to make jewelry so I can continue making it.
grace’s faces
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please check out our new Instagram page grace_x_amy for all of the things Grace and Amy.
ASO readers, please enjoy 20% off Grace’s picks, the Tiki Studs, the Mandal Anklet , the Short Staple Earrings and the Cavo Ring. Discount is taken at checkout.
And one last, but very important thing: September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Grace and I will be donating 10% of our Grace X Amy online sales during the month of September to our friends at Lucy’s Love Bus, an amazing foundation that delivers love, comfort and quality of life to children battling cancer. Click HERE to shop Grace X Amy, get some great deals and support an amazing cause.
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Kate McAfee
[intro + interview by kayla doyle]
“When I feel like I am spinning out with my head in the ether, she always has a way of distilling things down and giving the best advice.” Amy, musing about her friendship with Kate.
Great friends ground us, remind us of what we believed wholeheartedly and so quickly forgotten, they bring levity, and with each conversation, we quietly remember how important they are to us. We see a flash of so many other moments when the conversation was similar - both unspoken and spoken conversation. Long talks. Little looks. Locked eyes. Big hugs. Hand squeezes. Drives in the car. Side by side. On the bus. It plays like a movie if you let it.
Recently, I was able to speak with Kate McAfee, a very close friend of Amy’s from childhood. I’ve never met Kate, and after learning more about her from Amy and through her questions, I hope that one day we do. I am grateful for what Amy and Kate both shared as it made me want to pick up the phone and relive so many times, so many scenes; bike riding to the West Newbury Food Mart, ding-dong-ditch at the grouchy neighbors house, sharing our latest crushes, bags of goldfish that felt never-ending, imagining together where life would go.
PS. It feels important to note that at one time, Amy and Kate had a book club with their moms. The book club name? Hens + Chicks.
Childhood chicks, there’s nothing like them.
-kmd
Kate, you and Amy have known each other for some time now. Do you remember the first connection or your first meeting? I find these stories heartwarming, especially when they involve us as children.
Amy and I grew up in a really small town. I first met Amy because we were on the same bus route to school. We pretty much arrived at school together every single day from 3rd grade through high school. First on the bus and then in high school, my dad drove us until we were old enough to drive ourselves. When we were in middle school our go-to was biking around town. We would pack lunch and be gone for the day, mostly to canoe, catch frogs, build forts and buy and consume massive amounts of penny candy at the general store. In high school there were lots of sleepovers, sports, and our summer job was at a candy store at Hampton Beach.
Childhood friendships are a unique kind of friendship. They are usually built on hilarity, simplicity, innocence and a little bit of mischief. What is the foundation of your and Amy’s friendship?
Yes, to all those things! Besides having so many shared experiences growing up together, I have so much admiration for Amy. Amy is so passionate and this is a thing I really admire about her. She cannot physically do something she doesn’t fully believe in. I think it’s because of that passion - if she doesn’t love the job she’s doing, the art she’s creating, the jewelry she’s designing, she can’t and won’t do it. I just love that about her.
You recently began working as the Associate Commissioner of Hockey East. In all honesty, I’m not sure I entirely know what this means. Can you share a bit about your current job and what you’ve done in the past?
I officially started at Hockey East in early May, so I’m still learning about all the aspects of the job myself! Hockey East is an NCAA Division I hockey conference that supports 11 men’s and 10 women’s teams and I’ll be working to support and advocate for the teams in our league. Previously I was at the University of New Hampshire’s Athletic Department in event management, which entailed game day management, staffing, project management and coordinating tournaments and post season play.
kate mcafee unh women’s ice hockey
You are also a mother to two girls. In this world, what are you working to instill in them?
Confidence. To me if they have confidence that means they will be able to overcome adversity, believe in themselves, create and maintain healthy relationships and help to build up and support others. I have worked hard to instill that in them. I’ll let you know in 20 years if it works or not…wish me luck...
Do your daughters wear jewelry? What has that been like? How has it gone for you, as their mother, watching them explore this for the first time?
Amy just recently gave my daughter Fiona a necklace for her 11th birthday. Amelia is 13 and she has a few of Amy’s pieces. She treasures them so much she never wears them for fear of losing them but has them hanging up in her room as part of her decor-which is what I do as well, but I actually wear them! Both of my daughters have been inspired by watching Amy create and grow her business.
What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically wear it?
Right now, I am most often wearing the Ambra Threaders in gold. I love them. They are a perfect quarantining accessory! So light you forget you are wearing them, classy for a zoom conference call and sexy teacher vibe for homeschooling!
You will soon be doing an Instagram Takeover on Amy’s Instagram Story Channel. Are you into social media? I’m excited to ask, what can we expect?
I’m excited to do the IG takeover! I’ve got some of Amy’s “early works” I’ll be highlighting (teaser, there are painted seashells involved) and I’ll let my daughters advise me on some photos and posts so they are appropriately cool.
Thank you so much for reading our latest installment of As Seen On, and please tune in to Amy’s Instagram stories on May 23rd to see a day in the life of Kate’s AVE jewelry collection. Plus, there will be some special discount codes sprinkled throughout the takeover for the designs that Kate features.
Until then, please enjoy 20% off Kate’s ASO featured designs, The Ambra Threaders and the Mina Hoops. Discount is taken at checkout. Click HERE to shop now [ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Morgan Avery
[intro + interview by kayla doyle]
This time of year is classically known as the month where we set out to make change. We, with resolution and determination, head out steadfastly in our intentions: be more present, wake up earlier, meditate and read more, watch and scroll less, eat differently, floss more.
That was mine this January 2020; floss more.
Morgan Avery, a local personal chef and food-lifestyle coach, recently spoke to Amy and I about this; the traditional approach to “dieting” and the pressure we often place on ourselves, our bodies, and our expectations, especially this time of year.
As you will observe, Morgan spoke quite eloquently about tuning into ourselves and what we really need/want. For example, sometimes it is a plant-based, brown-rice bowl of goodness and other times, it’s a cookie that our body is calling for. It can be, as Morgan so simply stated, a series of nudges that we follow, nudges that lead us towards something that is nourishing and satisfying. These little pushes to listen come up in all areas; our careers, our personal lives, our relationships, our eating and the food that we put in our bodies, our dental health.
Morgan, thanks for sharing all that you shared - I admire your passion and your ease towards yourself. For myself, writing this brought into light a few nudges; one of which was a nudge to go and floss.
In shedding guilt and micro-change,
kd
Morgan, can you share a little bit about you and your business and your approach as you work with clients?
In 2011, I traded in my Standard American Diet (SAD) and began eating plant based. I mostly did it for animal welfare reasons, but I soon noticed that my skin was clearer, my sleep was better, my chronic stomach pains went away, my mind was sharper, and I felt stronger and good in my body. I was a foodie, but not much of a cook, so my new way of eating required that I acquire some kitchen skills. The more I learned, the more I was blown away by the innovation of the plant based culinary world. Pulled pork made from a fruit? Cheese made from nuts?! Since then, my curiosity has only expanded and it became my mission to help other people feel empowered around food and experience the benefits of eating more plants. Now, as a personal chef, I get to do that every day! I offer meal prep services, private chef services, cooking lessons and classes, health coaching, and have a deep interest in the intersection of food and culture, the environment, and personal and societal improvement.
My philosophy around food is quite relaxed, actually. It’s not about perfection, or slapping a label on yourself and your habits, but rather cultivating a healthier relationship with self and with food. Eating well isn’t about deprivation, it’s about taking care of yourself in the most fundamental ways. Sometimes that means a nutrient-dense plant heavy meal, and sometimes that means having a cookie.
What has driven you to do the work that you do?
I have simply followed the nudges which come in the form of passion, curiosity, and ideas. First, I found a way of eating and living that drastically improved my life in a multitude of ways. Then, I realized how many people suffer and struggle in these areas. Naturally, I felt called to help and put my own passion and skills to work in a way that benefits others. I don’t know where this path will lead me next, but I know that I will always follow those little hints.
What would you like to share anything about your own health journey?
Changing my diet and health was the catalyst for feeling empowered in other areas of my life. I remember believing that I would likely die of cancer, because cancer was common on both sides of my family. This was such a dis-empowering belief, to think that my health was out of my hands! The reality is that we have much more control over our genetic destiny than previously believed. My mindset around food and my health has changed from powerless, to powerful. This is what I want for everyone.
Food can be a meditative and spiritual practice (i.e. paying respect to the process of growing, cultivating, and preparing the food). What is your experience in working with food? Have you found this at all? And has your relationship to food changed or shifted?
This is a great question. I definitely find that my days in the kitchen are often therapeutic. Bringing mindfulness to my cooking is one reason why I love it so much. I notice the sound of sizzling on the stove, the aroma of fresh herbs, the textures and tastes. I believe that my own energy gets infused into the food I create, so it’s very important to me that I take care of myself in that way. Working with seasonal food from local farms helps connect both myself and my clients to our environment, the land we call home. And without a doubt, eating nourishing nutrient dense foods helps to “clear our vessel” and open us up to our own wisdom. There’s a huge link between food and spirituality and I am endlessly fascinated by it.
How did you come to connect with Amy? What brought you together?
Amy and I met on a paddle boarding tour a few years ago! She was with a group of girlfriends, and I was leading the tour. It was my first day, too! I am so glad we met :)
What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically wear these pieces?
I am ALWAYS wearing the tension earrings. They’re my favorite because they’re so simple and go with everything. I don’t wear much jewelry (not even my weddings rings haha!) but I always have these earrings in. My favorites are the delta tension earrings, and I also love the half moons. Oh! And the straight pin threaders! 99% of the time, I am dressed very simply and love that I found Amy’s jewelry which perfectly complements that. I also find that even when I do dress up, these simple earrings are still the perfect adornment, so they’re very versatile!
More information about Morgan, her food and wellness programs can be found at morgan-avery.com , and her Instagram feed is a also great resource for yummy recipes and healthy inspiration. If you are interested in attending one of Morgan’s classes, she will be teaching at Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School on May 23, July 18 + September 19 this year.
And lucky you! Since Morgan gave us 3 ASO faves, the delta tension earrings, half moon tension earrings. and straight pin threaders are all 20% off at check out. Click HERE to shop now [ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured in our “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Shana Holub
Shana, you are one of the founding members of Close Quarters Collective in Rockport, Massachusetts. The structure and business set up of CQC is a unique one: four friends who are each makers and artisans themselves, owning and operating a store together. How does it work?
We started out just selling our own work because our products are cohesive. We now have roughly 25 consignors, and the products we bring into the store are largely influenced by our own aesthetics. Alyssa, Winston, Sarah and I each gravitate to different tasks, making it easy and straightforward to divide and conquer. We are all naturally suited to our rolls, making things virtually fuss free.
Close Quarters Collective prides itself on bringing in products and pieces that are both beautiful and functional. Why the intersection of these two things? And how do you decide to carry a new artist in you shop?
I'm not entirely sure why we gravitate to products that are beautifully functional, maybe because that's what we produce ourselves. Our aesthetic limits that even more because we want products that compliment our own, as well as things we would want to purchase ourselves. Whenever one of us finds a new maker we check in with each other to get their opinions. We never bring things in without each other's opinions.
Can you tell us a bit more about your ceramic process and style? And how long have you been creating and selling your own work?
I have been a ceramicist for 7 years, and selling for probably 5. I throw all of my pots on the wheel. Occasionally I will make a few pinch pots, but I prefer the wheel. My approach to making pots involves simple, but thoughtful forms. I don't like using a lot of different tools. I have 5 tools I use all the time. In any medium there are plenty of opportunities to experiment with new gizmos and elaborate techniques, but I find there is plenty to explore in making the subtlest difference in the proportion and profile of a pot for centuries! Another element I like to explore in pottery is the use of a simple line. When glazing I will leave lines of raw clay to add definition to the form of a pot. The placement of these lines can either accentuate beautiful form or chop it in half in a distracting way. Should the line be horizontal or vertical? Should there be one line or ten? Those are the two elements I am endlessly exploring in my work.
What do you appreciate about the pottery process and working with clay?
I appreciate that clay can always be recycled! I recycle my clay right in my own studio. Whenever I make a pot that I don't like, or it dries too quickly for me to trim it I just chuck it in the recycle bucket and move on. It's awesome. My fiance and I were joking that it would be so incredible if you could do that with sawdust!
How do you balance being a founding member and operator of a business with your own desire and need to create?
Honestly, you have a studio in your home and your BAE cooks dinner every night! I used to have a studio in my friend's workshop, and I barely used it. I despise negativity, but I have only just recently been able to make the balance work. I also work as a landscape designer four days a week, so the only time I have to work on ceramics is in the evening.
close quarters collective | rockport, mass
You stumbled upon Amy and her jewelry and reached out to her about carrying her pieces in the store. How did you find her? Did you slide into her DMs?
Ha! Yes! And funnily enough, I found out after we reached out to her that I knew her friend, and talented photographer, Jesika Theos. I couldn't believe it. Amy presents her jewelry beautifully and professionally, and I'm thrilled she is with us.
Do you wear Amy’s designs? What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing and how do you typically wear them?
The arrow dangles are the only pair of statement earrings I own. I've never met a pair I liked until now. I usually wear them with my hair up, and most likely with lipstick.
Has your personal style or appreciation or preferences for different kinds of products evolved since joining and creating Close Quarters Collective? If yes, how so?
The one thing that has certainly evolved is my perception of other products, particularly how they are presented. It isn't easy , or cheap to create a brand. Everywhere you turn there are endless options for labeling, graphics, and imagery. Even the littlest thing such as how the price is displayed on a product is a big decision, and effects whether someone will purchase it. I have so much respect for the local makers we represent in our shop. They have a lot of tenacity.
More information about Shana, her art and her teaching can be found at www.shanaholub.com and more about Close Quarters Collective can be found here.
And as usually, this month’s As Seen On featured style, the Arrow Dangles, are 20% off at check out
[ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured, please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Dietlind Vander Schaaf
At the age of twelve years old, I started painting lessons with my watercolor teacher, Joan Gessner.
Every Saturday morning, my parents would drop me off for a two hour group lesson with Joan during which I would work to master watercolor skills like wet-on-wet or dry brushing or how to correctly mix color.
Many were the times that I ran to the car at the end of class, proudly waving my completed painting in the air. Many were (also) the times that I broke down crying, became frustrated, or mad with myself when I couldn’t get it right. Joan was strict and wouldn’t entertain the lack of belief in myself.
“I have always believed that a teacher is "one who helps another to see."
The quote above comes from this months As Seen On subject, Dietlind Vander Schaaf. Dietlind, who currently resides in Maine, taught Amy the skill of encaustic painting.
As I grew older, I came to see that sprinkled within Joan’s lessons in watercolor, were lessons in patience, letting go, releasing control, meditative study, and peace. In Dietlind's words, Joan helped me to see. I started to see myself as a watercolor painter. I began to see things as they truly were.
With eyes on a blank canvas,
KD
Dietlind, how do you typically approach a blank canvas? What inspires you?
I approach a blank panel the same way each time. I start by warming the surface and carefully building smooth even layers of encaustic medium until the painting has reached a certain depth. Then I begin to paint. Because my work is process-driven, I don't overthink it. The act of building layers is a meditative one that gradually brings me deeper into the place I need to be in order to paint.
I find inspiration in both the natural world and the urban landscape. I'm always taking pictures of buildings, lines, cracks, particular arrangements of leaves or color, paths, light.
And what do you like about working with wax as a medium?
I enjoy building layers, etching into it, fusing it, and the incredibly sensuous surface it offers. I like that my medium is composed of beeswax and tree sap; that there is something natural and organic about it.
Do you work to communicate or convey anything through your artwork? Does it change with each piece?
I think the essence of my work is similar regardless of the finished painting. I want my work to convey a calm centered-ness and to contain both rhythm and poetry. I want it to evoke a feeling of spaciousness in the viewer. I am also very interested in expressing what I find the most beautiful, haunting, and compelling about our surroundings and our inner landscape.
You offer encaustic workshops and lessons. What do you enjoy about teaching?
I have always believed that a teacher is "one who helps another to see." Teaching has brought me into contact with so many people that I would never have met otherwise. I have been fortunate in that I have had wonderful students of all ages and backgrounds that have helped me become a better teacher through the years. I have learned to listen deeply and to ask better questions. I have also learned how to organize my material in such a way that the instruction really lands for all kinds of learners.
How did you and Amy initially meet? How has your relationship with Amy evolved over the years that you've known her?
Amy and I met when she enrolled in an encaustic workshop I taught at Maine College of Art. I was drawn to her immediately, appreciating her thoughtfulness, her presence, and her style. Amy started as one of my students, then worked as my assistant at my annual encaustic retreat, and throughout the years became my friend.
What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing? How do you typically wear them?
My favorite go-to earrings of Amy’s are the Lock Dangles. I wear them with everything from a linen dress and boots to an oversized sweater and jeans. I love how the brass has developed a patina over the years. They are simple, organic, and classy. They feel like me and I get lots of compliments on them. I like knowing Amy made them.
More information about Dietlind, her art and her teaching can be found at dietlindvanderschaaf.com
And as usually, this month’s As Seen On featured style, the Lock Dangles, are 20% off at check out
[ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured, please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Wendy V.E. Kaye
Is creativity learned or inherited?
After connecting with Wendy Kaye, this month’s As Seen On feature, I asked myself this question.
Wendy Kaye is an oil painter and shares a space in the collective Artist’s Muse in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Wendy and Amy’s studio spaces share a wall; it’s a wall that doesn’t quite meet the ceiling, allowing for ease of conversation to be volleyed between two people.
Wendy is also Amy’s sister.
Wendy has only ever known herself to be a creative person, change being the only constant in her artwork. Throughout the years, she’s explored varying mediums, forms, and revolutions of creativity. No matter the stage, art has always been a large part of her life. She has found and continues to find curiosity in shapes, abstraction, positive and negative space, and objects that have history and grit. Things like, old buildings, ships, and rusted cars.
Upon learning this, I couldn't help but pause on what I observed to be a spark of synergy. Two sisters. Both finding artistic inspiration, curiosity, and appreciation in metal. Sharp lines. Shapes. Pieces. Parts.
Is creativity learned or inherited? Nature? Nurture? Like positive and negative space, is it a combination and balance of elements, pieces, parts?
Like a meeting of two studio spaces sharing one wall.
~Kayla
Wendy, can you give us a glimpse into your path? Both creatively and professionally?
My professional journey has taken many twists and turns as my life has evolved. I have worked in the corporate world, managed a retail store, volunteered extensively and now currently work at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the George Marshall Store Gallery and am an artist. Of all of my work, my most important and joyful, has been to be the mom to my son, Nathaniel. I have made choices and decisions along the way to create a balance that works for me and my family.
wendy kaye in her studio
Like Amy, you also have a studio space in the Artist’s Muse in Amesbury, Massachusetts. What has your experience been there for you as an artist?
I am thankful that I have the opportunity to have a shared creative space that is right next door to my sister’s studio. The distance from York, ME presents some challenges but I love knowing that I have a space to go to create when I am not working at my other jobs.
So coming from York, Maine, how often are you spending time in your studio?
During the summer and fall seasons, I try to get there once a week as I am busy at the museum and the gallery. Once winter comes along, my other work slows down and I am able to focus on my creative work. It is very cyclical for me and I find that winter and all that it brings, is a more creative time for me.
Have you and Amy supported each other's love for art and creativity over the years?
I have helped Amy a bit with her website and was a cheerleader for her as she began her jewelry business. She has run with it and taken her business to an amazing place. Her creativity, business sense, and drive are an inspiration to me. She is now my cheerleader pushing me to take chances and believe in my work.
How do think about about your jewelry style? Has it changed as your art has?
Ever since high school in the 80s, I have loved big earrings. My favorites of Amy’s tend to be the bold ones! I find that over and over I reach for her Kon Dangle earrings.
How do you typically wear the Kon Dangles?
They tend to be my go-to and are the perfect complement to jeans and tees, or something a little funkier. Jewelry has always been something that I have always been drawn to as I usually wear neutral clothing colors and combinations. My personal style is one that easily fits all aspects of my life – whether work or play, I tend to wear the same pieces – and jewelry and scarves add the variety and change with my mood or occasion.
cloud break by wendy kaye
More information about Wendy and her paintings can be found at wendyvekaye.com
And as usually, this month’s As Seen On featured style, the Kon Dangles, are 20% off at check out
[ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured, please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Sarah Oleson
What begins a painting? A blank canvas.
Sarah Oleson likens her yoga teaching practice to art; there should be freedom of expression, creativity, individuality, without judgement or expectation. As a yoga teacher myself, I had never thought of a yoga class in the same way as Sarah: a blank canvas. The more I pondered it though, the more I came to this as truth. The yoga classroom is a vehicle for creation, free movement and exploration; for both students and teachers. However as the teacher, it is your responsibility to create a space where your students can explore their own individual practice; a place for them to find their voice, where they can complete their blank canvas.
I was able to spend time with Sarah recently, learning more about her efforts and perspectives, both in the yoga studio and beyond. She regularly teaches at various local studios and is a leader of yoga and wellness retreats all around the globe. Sarah also works closely with Lucy’s Love Bus, a local charity whose aim is to provide comfort and care to children battling cancer. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and 10% of sales from amyvanderels.com this month will be donated to LLB’s Share the Love Campaign.
Sarah, thank you for helping us with our own blank canvas (As Seen On). And thank you for reminding us that we truly cannot waste a day.
In gratitude,
Kayla
Your primary occupation is teaching yoga. How many yoga classes do you typically teach each week?
Anywhere from 7-15, depending on the week and If I am away on a retreat or teaching private clients or outdoor classes.
As a yoga teacher, how do you feel as you step in front of a room full of people at the beginning of class? How do you cultivate confidence for yourself? And for others?
The word authenticity comes to mind. I try to be me. Truthfully, I am always nervous before teaching each class but I see it as though I am just there holding space. Like a blank canvas that I hold up, each person in my class paints a different picture. Similar to art and traditional forms of artwork, not one piece of art would be the same & they are all equally accepted and beautiful. We are all the same. We have hearts and bodies and breath and we use them together.
You also lead yoga retreats all around the world. What has this experience been like for you?
Teaching and leading retreats has truly been a dream job. I get people out of their comfort zone, take them to immaculate and glorious faraway places where they can re-set and get back to a sense of self.
sarah oleson | photographed by emily roscoe
You’ve carved your own path as a local entrepreneur. What do you find most rewarding? Challenging?
I would say the most challenging part is “shutting off the business”. When you work for yourself, you need to know when it is time to not work and have fun. I have my husband, (the most carefree and hilarious human I know) to always keep me in check and make sure I am not working too hard. The most rewarding piece: I have such a lovely community and support system here on the North Shore. It’s all of the connections I have made, seeing other entrepreneurs starting their new businesses, reaching out to them and collaborating in any way we can to hold each other up because that is what it’s all about, right?
How did you and Amy first connect?
Amy and I met at my favorite local coffee shop, the Market Square Bakehouse in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Some of her artwork hangs there and I had noticed customers were wearing her jewelry and it all clicked. Amy also frequents my yoga classes at Yogasmith in Amesbury!
Do you wear Amy’s designs? What piece of Amy’s can you be seen wearing?
The Inuksuk Dangles with light blue amazonite gemstones.
sarah oleson | inuksuk dangles | photographed by emily roscoe
How are you most often seen wearing your Inuksuk Dangles?
With Overalls! Or Yoga pants.
When you dress for the day, do you put on jewelry last? Or is it one of the first things that you think about?
Jewelry is the finishing touch. I usually am moving around, teaching yoga, taking yoga, so a cute pair of earrings can dress up my yoga clothes.
What does style mean to you personally?
Freedom.
You’re also involved with a local organization called Lucy’s Love Bus. Why did you feel a personal connection to the organization initially?
Lucy (And Lucy's Love Bus) is the reason why I do what I do: heal, connect, and support. Lucy’s Love Bus was founded by 11-year-old Lucy Grogan, who was diagnosed with leukemia in July of 2002. I was Lucy’s babysitter. I watched her laugh, cry and fight her way through four years of cancer treatment. During this time, Lucy found relief from intense pain and anxiety through integrative therapies such as massage, Reiki, meditation, acupuncture, music therapy, and therapeutic horseback riding which were not covered by her insurance (as they often aren’t). It was Lucy’s wish to make sure that sick children could have access to free integrative therapies to manage the debilitating side effects of medical treatments. Lucy did not survive cancer, but her legacy of care and compassion live on through Lucy's Love Bus. To date, the organization has helped over 2,500 families and children all over the country with a healing center in Amesbury.
Any thoughts or words for someone who might be looking to support or get involved with a local organization as you have done with LLB?
Giving back keeps us all thriving. I have had the most rewarding moments seeing the families at Lucy’s Love Bus benefit from our programs. We are lucky to have our breath and be able to smile. Reaching out to a local non-profit like Lucy’s Love bus will remind you that each day is a gift, so do not waste it.
sarah oleson | inuksuk dangles | photographed by emily roscoe
More information about Sarah and her yoga practice can be found at saraholesonyoga.com
And one more fun thing : This month’s As Seen On featured, the Inuksuk Dangles, are 20% off at check out
[ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured, please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.
As Seen On : Jesika Theos
There is an art to capturing the essence of something: a portrait, a landscape, a piece of jewelry. Through the view of a camera lens, a photographer works to communicate a subject’s truth, true nature, original form, and beauty. For the photographer who works to do this, I imagine it to be a fulfilling creative challenge yet, no small feat.
Jesika Theos is the photographer and visionary behind the product, portrait and brand photography for Amy Vander Els. Jes actually started out in front of the camera, as the model for Amy’s first jewelry catalog in 2017. Since then, Jes and Amy have been working together, supporting each other's creative ventures, collaborating on new ideas in the studio, developing the branding and capturing the essence of Amy’s jewelry.
I was able to witness their collaboration one time while I was working with Amy in the studio, cutting and filing shapes of silver and brass. Amy and Jesika were working on styling some photos for Amy’s latest catalog that she was prepping for a trade show. From my perspective, I saw two badass, female creatives and entrepreneurs on the ground (literally) capturing hot-off-the-soldering-block designs. They each anticipated where the other was going, knew what they wanted to capture, and supported each other throughout the process. I can say confidently that creative sparks were flying.
Jes, I have to say, I’m now a little relieved that these posts are Q&A format as capturing a capturer feels a little like baking a cake for a baker. You wonder how it tastes for them and if you misread the amount of sugar.
Was it ¾ or ¼ cup?
Bon appetit,
-Kayla
What piece(s) of Amy’s can you be seen wearing, and what do you like to pair them with?
Primarily the Arrow Dangles, Amy's stud earrings and the Liber Necklace.
I like dressing up something casual like jeans and a tee shirt with a statement earring. It takes the whole outfit up a notch. I mostly wear my pieces day to day, but I love that they are versatile and can work both ways.
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
It depends; Sometimes I have a piece of jewelry that I really want to create an outfit around on a certain day, and other times I will start with something simple to wear and then feel the need to jazz it up a bit with a piece of jewelry.
jesika theos | arrow dangles | photographed by ashley plante, analog wedding
You're the photographer behind the photos of Amy's designs and work. What has that experience been like for you? How has it been collaborating with a friend and co-creator?
Amy and I have a similar fluid approach to our creative process, which I love. We will plan a bit headed into a photo shoot but we both like to leave a lot of room for magic to unfold.
What do you enjoy most about working in the creative field or working as a photographer?
Owning your own creative business comes with its fair share of ups and downs, but you learn to ride the waves and slowly become empowered by sustaining them. I feel very grateful to be doing something that I love that allows me flexibility, quality of life and many creative outlets.
What is your perspective on personal style or design?
It's interesting to think about how my personal style has evolved over the years. Before I invest in something I try to really think through whether I feel it's something I am going to feel excited to wear. I've been working on pairing down the number of things I own to the items that I really love and make me feel like a badass.
Have your jewelry preferences or style changed at all since Amy started designing and making her own? If so, how so?
I like how Amy thinks about design and functionality. She designs pieces that can be worn both out to dinner but also while practicing yoga. I am usually one to take off all my jewelry before I exercise or sleep, but I like the concept of jewelry that can be worn through it all.
How have you and Amy come to know each other? I’m curious to know how you two met…
We met through a mutual friend who introduced us because we were both into jewelry making. At the time, I had just moved to the East Coast and was toying with the idea that might start a jewelry making business. I quickly learned that I would get hung up on the small things in jewelry making and couldn't get past them. So began my search for another creative outlet, where I eventually found photography.
How has your relationship with Amy evolved over the years that you've known her?
Amy is one of the main reasons I felt it was possible to start my own business. I observed her business steadily grow and evolve and it made me feel that it was possible. She has been a enormous source of inspiration and support throughout our friendship.
More information about Jesika and her photography can be found at https://www.jesikatheos.com/
And one more fun thing : This month’s As Seen On featured, the Arrow Dangles, are 20% off at check out
[ a little thank you for letting us share our story with you, and for reading until the end! ]
If you or someone you know wears Amy’s pieces and is interested in being featured, please reach out to us. We’d love to learn more about you and what you wear.