Today's Music in the Studio

Mom's Ted Talk!!

It's about time I posted this Ted Talk my mom did a couple of years back.  Mom is passionate about the arts in the schools so if you want a little inspiration take a minute to listen. 

• Susan Stauter
  is currently the Artistic Director for the San Francisco Unified School District. She was instrumental in creating the Arts Education Master Plan, promising equity and access for all students during the curricular day. Susan Stauter designs and presents keynotes and workshops, consulting nationally and internationally in all areas of arts education. She was one of the readers for the audio version of Richard Florida's best selling Rise of the Creative Class and was named public reader for the 2009 K-12 Drama/Theatre Standards for the State of Colorado. She has worked as a writer/director for Disney, Anaheim and as a consultant to the Grammy Foundation in Santa Monica. She was named Founding Chair of the Theatre Department of the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts and went on to serve as Conservatory Director for the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Ms Stauter has won numerous awards, including the San Francisco Ballet's Choose to Move Award, the Leap Award for Excellence in Arts Education and in January 2011 a Founder's Award from the International Arts Schools Network. Among the organizations where she has presented keynotes and workshops are the New World Symphony, the Ravinia Festival, the Theatre Educators of America, the Ten Chimneys Foundation, The Tennessee Arts Academy, the Vienna Concerthaus, the Small Schools of New Zealand (named Visiting Scholar in Creativity), and the Leonard Bernstein Center for Arts Education, where she continues to consult as a lead teacher/trainer. Susan Stauter presents workshops on public speaking for the U.C. Berkeley Principal Leadership Institute and works as a private coach. In May of 2011 she will once again lead a workshop on the importance of arts and culture for Leadership, San Ramon at Tao House. Susan Stauter is the mother of designer Jeanine Payer.

(Who:
Loves;
Creates,
Imagines)
OPENS
 
-e.e. cummings

Inspiration

From the Blog Archives, November 14th 2008, Piles of Poetry

I just found this pile of poetry clipped up on my cork board...it's a interesting mix of Rilke, Kate Richey and others. Below are engraving practice pieces, before engravers can start to work on real pieces in silver and gold.

Fennel Four Ways

Jason's Pespective of the Jeanine Payer Studio

I asked Jason Joo, our intern, to take some pictures around the shop to see things through his lens.  Here are some of my favorite shots--they are the monochrome to my color!

From the Jeanine Payer Archives....

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

What barrier is there that love cannot break? -Gandhi

Over the years we at Jeanine Payer have been privileged to be asked to create wedding rings for so many couples; some of them gay, some of the straight, all of them deeply in love and joyously wanting to celebrate their tremendous sense of commitment through the act of marriage. In light of recent events surrounding the passage of Prop 8, we feel like it is time to take action, make something beautiful, and donate half the proceeds towards the fight Californians now face for equal marriage rights. Using the Gandhi quote, "What barrier is there that love cannot break?" on the popular Dale necklace design, we have made a piece that people can wear proudly in the knowledge that love can indeed overcome all obstacles.

Fifty percent of the proceeds from each sale of this piece will be donated to Equality California. Founded in 1998, EQCA celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2008, commemorating a decade of progress towards equal rights for all Californians. In the past 10 years, EQCA has helped change California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Visit them at http://www.eqca.org/.

Jewelry Solstice Inspiration

JP Jewelry Photo Shoot at Sven's House

Jeanine Payer Jewelry Studio From The Archives

Here are some shots of our studio that was in the historic jewelry mecca, The Phelan Building dating back from...who knows when. My studio and offices were there for 18 years.  We grew organically in that space- by just breaking through walls to add suites when we grew. It was a bit like a crazy rabbit warren at one point, but fun. Our new space is better organized, efficient and airy with big walls for artwork and a giant bookshelf.  I really love having people visit us here, but when I look back at these photos I feel nostalgic for the old days and for the people who worked there with us.

When Jewelry Books Are Hilarious...

My jewelry book collection is complete with this rare book by Paul Villiard!  No topic seems off limits for Paul, ceramics, plumbing, woodworking and even candy making! My favorite is 'Moths and How to Rear Them'--who knew the needed rearing!  To me his work is reminiscent of the great MFK Fisher's 'Consider the Oyster' or Brenda Euland's inspired classic, 'If You Want to Write.'

Here is an exert that exemplifies his prose, as he waxes poetic about the fiendish endeavor of polishing:

...This is characteristic of the buff.  It seems as though they are designed to snatch the work and slam it up against the wall, or dash it to the floor where it will bounce all around the room, each bounce putting a new bruise on your heart! Sometimes you will find a buff so fiendish that it is almost impossible to touch without this happening.
  
 And the book is also chock-a-block full of smart suggestions to ignite some big ideas!
.

Mother's Day at Jeanine Payer with Abby and William

 










 

















Abby and William are little atoms that when joined together equal more than the sum of their parts.  I took them to be photographed by Sven in his Hayes Valley studio, and it was as if Thing One and Thing Two were let loose from their crate.  They felt instantly at home enough to jump on the couch and yell at the top of their lungs—they also ferret away Japanese yen sitting in a dish.  Soon they are on an adventure going from room to room, looking with wonder at tiny, unusual sculptures and figurines that were both mysterious and beautiful.  Abby’s mother and I are really happy to show them a glimpse into another world, a different aesthetic, which is all Sven, world traveler, accomplished photographer, and exceptional sock maker.  I love the part of his work that includes children. He captures that authentic child vibrancy, the moments betwixt and between-- they never look like they are in a ‘sitting’.  I have known Sven since we both lived together as warehouse mates in a very raw work/live space south of Market in the early 90’s. It is nice to have him take pictures of my son and his bestie, and have them become part of his work, and mine, it is a special connection all around.  When he meets the children he points to his Dogwood necklace and asks Will, ‘Do you know where this came from? Your momma's brain.'

I choose these two because of their relationship with not only each other but with us, their mommies—we are just off camera.  I want to capture an exuberance and love that they have for each other, their families and the generous dousing of joie de vivre that spills over, as everyone on our block can attest to.

The nosegay is from my own mom's garden which is a sweet touch.  One more thing.  A few days afterwards, William, finding a Mano necklace in a box that is to go to his school auction, decides to give it to Abby and after making this proclamation to his father, he scrambles over there and presents it to her.    Whether playing dueling harmonicas over the back fence or sending stomp rockets onto the neighborhood roofs, I just know these two will carry these sweet memories in their hearts forever

A Visit From The Little Prince

My son came into the studio today to work on some construction Legos. What a treat!

Everything is Transformed

This piece was inspired by a giant antler I took a picture of at the SF flower mart at a little place hidden in the back that carries all sorts of unusual odds and ends.  Any chance to carve something from wax, to make a representation of something that can be worn, this is my love, my meditation.  The 18k plate at the end of the antler carries the words of 18th century chemist, Antione Laurent Lavoisier from the book, Elements of Chemistry; 

Nothing is lost, nothing created: everything is transformed. 

Sometimes it comes together perfectly for the words and form.   It is tricky when managing a family, a business and a creative life, tricky to be present enough to even allow for the right words to appear. I found this in a book of poetry by one of my favorite poets and translators, Jane Hirshfield.

I have been stretching myself lately--- trying my hand at a few things I am not exactly naturally talented at.  For example, I just started taking my own pictures of my collection for the website.  You may notice a difference in how things look going forward. It may look funny for a while until I get better. With all due respect to our photographer, I just felt the shots were looking just a bit too enhanced-- so I thought I would try it myself using natural light.  Admittedly I am a total novice at this point.  My friend Sven Wiederholt came to the studio and gave me a crash course on photography and now I owe him a Black Dogwood necklace as a thank you.  Sven is infinitely patient, generous and talented.  I took the ones above and I really appreciate that the piece really does look like that, without enhancements, the writing is exactly that clear and the silver is darkened to that degree.

The Stag necklace along with other new styles, and a selection of fun new versions of classics are coming to our site soon, hopefully by the end of this week if we can get it together.  There is a lot going on here at the studio...pictures of our new showroom will be coming shortly!