SAVE THE DATE FOR THE START OF OUR FALL/WINTER LINE UP!
First time ever…….. We are proud and excited to welcome Suzy Landa fine jewelry designer who specializes in gorgeous colored gem stones, in all categories. Please save the date Thursday October 18th from 11:00 – 8:00
Feel free to read all about Suzy and what led her to creating these magnificent mostly one of a kind pieces. Enjoy……
ABOUT ME
Igrew up in Los Angeles with a mom who could make pretty things out of just about anything. While she encouraged the same resourcefulness from her children, she strongly disliked coloring books and paint-by-numbers art that squelched creativity by requiring staying within the lines. She set an example by designing and fabricating from scratch: elaborate cakes, party favors, Halloween costumes, bedroom décor, and prom dresses, among other things. We kids followed: We handmade birthday cards and banners, decorated school notebooks, adorned bicycles, embellished jeans. Our legendary “Craft Closet” was packed with every conceivable colorful fabric, ribbon, button, bead, paint, wire and glitter with which to create something wonderful. Even the house itself was inspiring. A tribute to the primary and secondary color palette, every door was painted a different bright color, and the carpeting choices were just as standout. We teased mom that we lived in what looked like a nursery school playroom. My grandfather’s hardware store was likewise a treasure chest of interesting shaped bits and pieces to play with. I watched with wonder as my Papa repurposed nails, screws, nuts and bolts into sculptural chess sets; and scrap metal, discarded fittings and random odds and ends into animal figures. I too would put together pieces and parts to create sculptures, mobiles, or wearable art. And from Papa, my siblings and I received the coolest gift ever: a rock polisher that could transform pieces of broken bottles into gems! Ironically, however, my very pragmatic parents thought of “art” as an extra-curricular activity reserved for after school and weekend projects if and only if homework was completed. I was raised to believe that I needed a practical education and ultimately, a “real” job. “You ought to use that brain of yours to better the world,” mom would say. Those brains led me to U.C. Berkeley where I got a degree in Political Science, learned to research, think critically, and write convincingly, and ultimately chose to pursue a first career in the movie business – developing stories, problem-solving scripts, and finding books and plays for adaptation. For a dozen years I struggled with the relationship between art and commerce: I loved the writers and performers and the storytelling, but didn’t care much for the deal-making that always rendered the creative work secondary. Moreover, though I was in a position to work alongside great talents, I myself was not the artist. I craved a genuinely creative outlet. At the suggestion of a close childhood friend, I started metalsmithing and model-making classes. A series of happy accidents helped morph my hobby into a business, and at the end of 2003, I was committed to making pretty things for a living. My initial small collection earned me the label “Rising Star” at my very first trade show, JCK Las Vegas, 2004. The rest, as they say…, is history.
ABOUT THE JEWELRY
Paying homage to the minimalist design and bold colors of my 1960’s-70’s youth, my collection reflects a love of mid-century design, art and architecture: Symmetric but soft shapes, clean lines, subtle details; statement pieces without the “fuss.” I create jewelry that marries an old world air with a modern flair. An admitted, committed colored stone junkie, I fall in love with a gem and work backwards to create something that makes the centerpiece appear as though it was born there. Reliance on warm gold alloys and a satin finish in order to highlight the gems rather than the metal allows those stones to take center stage. In many cases, the resulting pieces are one-of-a-kind. Inspired by modernist structures and sculpture, I play with layers, negative space, movement, and dimension to create pieces that look different when observed from varying angles; and they often have unexpected, surprise elements. My favorite pieces to design are rings: Whether an unusual engagement ring, a collection of stackers, or a single gemmy ring, rings are pieces the wearer can admire on her own, without looking in the mirror. As a jewelry artist, I am dedicated to uncompromising gemstone quality and expert craftsmanship of the finished product. My attention to detail is evident in the work. I design for a woman who favor timeless statement pieces over disposable, only temporarily “hot” ones. She is confident in her own sense of style, doesn’t follow “mainstream” fashion, and knows what she loves the moment she sees it. She expects to love her pieces in 10 years as much as she does on that first day. I believe that the “classics” I create for today’s collectors will be valued by future generations. Handcrafted entirely in New York City, the 18k gold, diamond, and gemstone collection is designed to be worn, not stored. It is meant for effortless elegance and easy casual wear. Precious stones may be worn every day, bright colors can be surprisingly neutral, and diamonds… well, what are you saving them for?!
