Jewelry, as an art form, has the power to create moods, provoke opinions and produce reactions. At her studio in downtown Manhattan, this is the design philosophy that New York based jewelry designer Catherina Bishopp follows in creating and developing her own unique collection of jewelry. Although she uses precious stones and metals in her work, the design is of much greater importance to Catherina than the intrinsic value of the materials she works with. Her ultimate goal is evoking humor, whimsy and rare imagination through the use of striking color and inventive design in each of her pieces, which is what gives Catherina her signature look.
When the mood strikes to create, Catherina finds inspiration for her clever designs in familiar and recognizable items. "Often, it is the materials that can become inspiring and sometimes, it is something else, something that draws you back for a second look. My real passion is to take objects or colors that are not normally seen as traditional jewelry and transform them into clever reinterpretations that are wearable and fun. This is what I feel makes jewelry really, truly memorable and valuable. It's my way of inspiring other people to see that jewelry can be beautiful without having to always conform to what is expected," explains Catherina.
Born as the youngest of seven children to Dutch parents, Catherina was introduced to the arts at an early age. At five, she visited Europe and was introduced to a variety of art from the Dutch masters to the Italian Renaissance artists. Her parents encouraged her to develop not only her artistic talents, but also her musical talent which she did by playing piano. At a very young age she progressed from color pencils to pastels, and at the age of nine, she was painting with oil. At Indiana University, Catherina's interests were in sculpture and classical piano. Her sculptures won her awards while her piano instructor was surprised that music represented her hobby versus her major.
After graduation, Catherina went on to the Ferrandi Culinary School in Paris where she won Grand Mere competitions for her creative talents in presenting new French cuisine to the panel of judges. This invaluable artistic experience encouraged Catherina to begin making jewelry over the next few years, as she began displaying a flair for fantasy and whimsy in her design and exhibited a remarkable talent for incorporating precious stones into her work. These were the beginnings of the distinguishing style that can now be found throughout her collection.
In 1999, Catherina refined her pieces into a collection, cultivated her own contacts and started to sell her own work through prominent galleries and shops in the United States and France. Soon thereafter, the Jewelry by Catherina brand was launched in 2000. As her young business began to grow, Catherina's innovative designs quickly caught the attention of her peers and fashion designers alike. Subsequently, she has established high caliber private clients demanding customized pieces to match specific clothing designs.
In 1999, Catherina refined her pieces into a collection, cultivated her own contacts and started to sell her own work through prominent galleries and shops in the United States and France. Soon thereafter, the Jewelry by Catherina brand was launched in 2000. As her young business began to grow, Catherina's innovative designs quickly caught the attention of her peers and fashion designers alike. Subsequently, she has established high caliber private clients demanding customized pieces to match specific clothing designs.
Recently, she was featured in an international magazine since she created a piece for musician Machel Montano. Catherina has also designed pieces for Claudia Pegus' 2004/2005 clothing collection. In 2004, she designed exclusively for Henri Bendel/NYC. Currently, she continues to sell wholesale to boutiques in NYC, Orange County, Traverse City, Columbus, and Trinidad/Tobago.
In addition to her innate sense of style and boundless creativity, Catherina brings a wide range of interests to her design abilities. Catherina has lived and worked in the United States (New York City, Los Angeles, Miami), The Netherlands, France, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, and now in Columbus, Ohio. This close view of other cultures and people gives Catherina a diverse perspective on her own designs and a greater appreciation of other artists' abilities. Today, Catherina continues to be inspired by this experience as she brings her special touch to the creation of memorable jewelry which compliments a women's beauty.
Meet Dana Harper from Parachute Troupe...
"I’m a 26 year old sculptor and installation artist, my jewelry work is inspired by the materials that I work with in my sculpture studio. was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio but have spent the last 3 years in Pennsylvania getting my masters from Penn State. I have been making art professionally 10 years. I have been selling work for about 4 years, but have only been making and selling jewelry for under a year. This is my first Avant-Garde Show!
Each object, piece of jewelry or sculpture that I make has a sweetness to its charm. I enjoy bringing joy into someone else’s life. I am inspired by cartoons as well as underwater landscapes.A lot of my sculpture is very large, working with jewelry has allowed me to work smaller. I enjoy working on a small scale because detail becomes more evident and important. Making has always been a key component to my happiness. I played instruments, folded origami and painted since I can remember. It wasn’t until college that I realized I wanted to make art for the rest of my life.
I experiment and play with any material that is accessible. I am often working in a series based on material; wood, ceramic and now polymer clay. I will always be making work, but I see myself moving through many other materials. I picture making a larger range in prices of the work, but my work will always be playful and fun. The message behind my work is to enjoy the little things, take time to allow small moments to bring happiness into your life!"
Meet Michelle Edmonds from Be You Ltd....
"At Be You, we believe in
unalienable truths: No two women are the same, empowerment is wonderful, and
women love handbags. We believe that handbags should be affordable, functional,
fashionable and fun. That they should also make women of all ages feel good,
knowing that what they buy is American-made and that a portion of the proceeds
go to a worthy cause.The Be You brand is about Being YOU, whoever you were made to be, products proudly crafted in America, bringing awareness to Human Trafficking
and contributing to helping victims and using everything, not throwing anything
away.
While we are life-long sewers, we have
been designing and producing our Be You
handbags for 18 months. This will be our first Avant-Garde show! We are inspired to create by recognizing that the
opportunities are endless when it comes to handbags. We learn from listening to our Be You community and innovating fun,
positive ways to convey that being you is perfect! We
often engage our customers to help us name new designs, spread the word and
make a difference!
As two women in
corporate America we were troubled by the fact we weren’t making a difference
in the world. We believed in our hearts
that we had more to offer and wanted to hold true to our core values. As the founders of Be You, we
are proud of what we are doing. Along
with doing something that matters, we firmly believe Be
You is a brand worth building!
We discovered our sewing talent through necessity. Both Lynne and Michelle learned to sew in home economics class in Junior High School. As a mom, Lynne sewed clothes for Halloween, dresses for school dances and events and household items (curtains, pillows, etc). Michelle learned to quilt and also sewed household items. It was not enough that we needed to know how to sew. We needed to start with designs, make patterns and select fabric. Lynne discovered her design talent through high school and college. Lynne excels at taking a sketch and making it into a pattern while Michelle has a knack for selecting fabrics and matching to specific designs.
We discovered our sewing talent through necessity. Both Lynne and Michelle learned to sew in home economics class in Junior High School. As a mom, Lynne sewed clothes for Halloween, dresses for school dances and events and household items (curtains, pillows, etc). Michelle learned to quilt and also sewed household items. It was not enough that we needed to know how to sew. We needed to start with designs, make patterns and select fabric. Lynne discovered her design talent through high school and college. Lynne excels at taking a sketch and making it into a pattern while Michelle has a knack for selecting fabrics and matching to specific designs.
By purchasing a Be You handbag, you have purchased materials to make someone at risk of being trafficked aware of the dangers and warning signs and also helped those that have been trafficked recover. Over the last year we have been able to contribute funds to purchase 6,000 bars of soap to assist the SOAP (Save our Adolescents from Prostitution) team with their events. We feel good about what we are doing and want to continue to help raise awareness of this devastating social issue. In addition to our give back program we have distributed hundreds of Human Trafficking awareness cards to those that have purchased our bags and folks at craft shows.
Meet Lori Summers from Hobby Girl Crafts...
"I'm a scientist and novelist with a passion for sewing and crafting. I'm also a volunteer at the Columbus Zoo, and I lead an outdoor activities club for women. I'm very busy! I've had my craft business for about six months - I'm still evolving! This will be my second Avant-Garde show!
I'm inspired by unusual fabrics, bold colors, and fun patterns. I love using fabrics in unusual combinations, and creating items that make people smile! I picked up a love of sewing (it runs in the family) and my production soon outstripped my ability to give things away! Opening a craft business was a logical next step, and I love sharing my items.I took a beginner's sewing class at a local sewing boutique, and I took to it immediately! Within only a few months, I'd taught myself to make a number of items that I still make. I'm always looking for new patterns and ideas.
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