Primadonna Trunk Show

Friday

May 4th, 12-6 pm

at Primadonna 

6001 Lincoln Dr

Marlton, NJ 08053

856.810.7577

One Day only, I'll be there with all new work!!

photo credit: Denise Guerin

Watch pieces

Whistle

Cameos

Artemisia at Primadonna for Spring

Primadonna's photo of new Artemisia pieces in store now!

This spring the "fairy dust bands" have taken flight Primadonna currently has all that are available. Each vintage watch that has been converted was previously non functioning, watch faces have been removed and each filled with German crushed mirrors. Stay tuned to Primadonna's Blog and mine for an upcoming Trunk show before Mother's Day.

Spring has sprung...

Artemisia, New York and Bendel's Open See

And so it begins...green taxi in New York.

Bendel's 8 am the line up to be seen

The Mongolian travelers case

An overnight trip to NYC with mom for Bendel's bi annual Open See proved every bit as exciting and fortuitous as I could hope for. Friday morning 7am we descended from our retro cool new boutique hotel room and encountered multiple images of Portlandia episodes along the way to gear up for our long wait in the line of possible dreams come true, we drank  beautifully made Cappuccinos from the ultra artisanal Stumptown coffee shop attached to the hotel and were off with my Shavasana dreamed up mongolianesque case attracting much attention along the way. By 8 am we were lined up and feeling the rush of excitement by 10 New York Live news was interviewing me, Bill Cunningham legendary New york Times style photographer had snapped a photo of me, who knows if it will be in the paper Sunday, and then the line began to shift. This was it...and I was already in a cloud.
So after much line moving Mongolian travelers case lugging and a bit of primping Artemisia was finally called to show the buyers...
In what felt like seconds I showed my work, was offered a trunk show, packed up again and on my way out. I paused wondering if what had happened was a good outcome, and so thank God my mother was there, she encouraged me to ask the women who had ushered us to the designers. After asking their reactions confirmed it; it was great. Hands up in the air, hugs and a flurry of excitement for me. So back home I still need details have nothing concrete yet but it's coming!!!

Lilliana Vasquez interviewing me

close up on the jewelry

Bill Cunningham while he was shooting designers in the line up

 Thanks Mom

Winter Flower

Carciofo

Artichokes, one of my favorite winter vegetables, so underestimated and left to wither and look forlorn in supermarkets here. The distinct flavor is complex and can be described in the same way a fine wine can be, maybe the one food I can describe as having a finish, a lasting flavor once you have finished chewing and swallowing the little green leaf. 

This Renaissance adored vegetable can be eaten in a myriad of ways here is one of my favorites, exalting it's refined flavor without masking it:

Carciofi alla Romana

Roman Artichokes

4 medium artichokes rounded tops of leaves not spiky 

5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil

salt

2 smashed garlic cloves

mint, rosemary, bay leaf,  

water to cover

Cut off the tops of each artichoke and begin to spread or gently coax open the inside of each one using your thumbs, like gently opening a flower. Cut away the woody part of the stalk but for gods sake don't cut off the stem it's more of the heart, same amazing flavor! Cut back the woody parts of each leaf

Rub salt into the bottoms of each choke and place upside down in a tightly, so they don't roll over, pot. 

Add oil, should cover  1 to 1 1/2 inches up each choke, herbs and garlic. Saute until you can just begin to smell the aroma of the garlic and then add water up to the base of the stems. Let cook covered on medium low flame until the stems are tender, uncover and cook down the rest of the water until what remains is just lovely flavored oil and perfectly cooked artichokes.

The varieties that are sold here often have woody leaves and cannot be eaten in their entirety but I assure you the flavors are just as exquisite even if scraping the flesh from the inside of each leaf is how they have to be eaten.

The Wonderland Collection

It's the middle of winter, the flurry of the holidays has subsided and I sit reflecting upon the idea that hibernating is a necessary part of the year for not only bears and groundhogs but for  humans as well. There is something so restorative about curling up in a blanket in front of a roaring fire and doing nothing but that. As I sit listening to my latest new passion, audiobooks and emerge myself into an alternate surreality my muse springs forward like fireworks on the fourth of july filling my head with overlapping images and colors bursting to be realized and so; well rested and restored the new collection emerges.

Wonderland Collection:

This collection was inspired by the Alice in Wonderland children’s  fairytale, filled with surreal images of late rabbits, mad tea parties, potions that make you shrink and a heroine both naive and cunning. Each charm used in these magical pieces are references to another world magical, ethereal and full of wonderment. The pieces are playful and derivative.

Perfumed Violets

Ss perfume bottle hand etched, Rome, Italy circa 1900, Sardinian amethyst fertility bell, rose quartz, amethyst, freshwater pearl, ss toggle closure American 1980, ss chains, circa 1900-1940 handmade

Make me little

Mad Hatter

Dondola

Capture me

Looking Glass

Faith in Me

A Sad Reality

soaring above Carriage Barn Antiques


  

Each november sees our annual road trip to upstate New York, this year we hit a few new Antique shops along the way. Sad thing about our  enduring economic crisis, the antique shops are filled with furniture estates are letting go and jewelry is sparse. Gold and silver, as of the last three years has been ever steadily rising and is about the only commodity one can count on not devaluing. The long and short of it, the antique dealers are hurting as we all are scrapping most of their gold and silver to stay a float. Unfortunately it means a loss in Antiquity which will never return. It is precisely for this reason that American Victorian jewelry in gold fill and silver is so rare, as during the great Depression the same thing occurred. I'm saddened to see this happening in my lifetime. There was a time when I began Artemisia where the selection of Antiques was embarrassing, overflowing from glass cabinets in every Antique store. Now what is mostly left is real junk, plastic, metal alloys that peel and turn color, a lot of 1970's baubles. Adversely the extremely fine in tact estate pieces in fine gold remain, a shame really to alter their appearance, not to mention bringing Artemisia to an entirely new and prohibitive price point.

Just at a time when Artemisia is increasing, supply of materials is decreasing.

 

lust, antique printmakers tool chest, refurbished $400