~Year of the Tiger~TOP TEN LIST for 2022
Happy 2/2/22 – Gong Hei Fat Choy!
Greetings & welcome to the annual TOP TEN LIST of 2021 (+ 2020? who knows, fuzzy boundaries) – here, a handful of enriching experiences to delight the mind & nourish the soul.
I offer this list of opportunities as a way to connect you to a few of my faves (so many! but a select few here) high-quality local-&-largely-female-owned resources to enjoy & share with friends & family and hopefully spark some good dialogue. In our home, we observe many rituals – one is honoring the outgoing/incoming Chinese New Year. Tidying our spaces, stating intentions, making plans with friends & family, focusing fresh eyes forward towards positive change. Also, reflecting on the past year, (oh, what a year) despite & in response to hardships, culling resources that felt most memorable. What it’s always about: COMMUNITY
EAT: Wahpepah’s Kitchen – Artfully prepared & always delectable Indigenous cuisine, authentic traditional decor, & Native music enhance the overall experience by tapping all of the senses. (Fruitvale Bart)
Nido’s Backyard + Juanita & Maude – I’ve posted both before, but extra props to them for creating such extraordinary outdoor eating experiences & service, both places are a total dining pleasure!
Flora & Ferment – lovely local ciderhouse on lower Solano – super cozy, airy plants, & kombucha on tap!
Rocky Island Oyster Co – Craneway newcomer, wknd hangout slurping oysters, crudo, chowda & beers – sunset vistas that simply cannot be beat..
Speaking of the Craneway, last time I was there we saw Bjork in concert. (Yeah, trippy!) I read an interesting quote by her recently that I thought was hopeful & worth repeating: [in response to a question about closing the digital and human divide] Bjork: “Maybe the strongest impact it had on me was to see the reaction of all governments combined — how quickly we can change stuff, and maybe hope that they will use that wisdom we have for the environment. That’s maybe where my head is at. Both me and Greta Thunberg have a manifesto {as expressed in her “Cornucopia” show}. Since humankind can react so strongly when the pandemic comes, we should react in the same way in the emergency that is the climate change and environment.”
READ: So! Many! Books! Here are just a few… Deep Hanging Out: Wanderings and Wonderment in Native California – a meditation on his immersion into the local Indigenous community these past 50 years, by ever-brilliant always thoughtful Malcolm Margolin – one of Berkeley’s all-time finest treasures with a truly poetic heart.
Cloud Cuckoo Atlas by Anthony Doerr – Don’t let this tome’s heft deter you – well worth the effort, a beautifully intermingled tales of woe & redemption, as found by always betting on the long game.
Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit – an ever-fascinating series of essays, drawn along the common thread of Orwell’s life experiences through the lens of roses as muse & metaphor, generously dotted with moments of sheer genius.
The Shimmering Is All There Is by Heather Catto Kohout (edited by Matt’s childhood friend Martin Kohout) elucidates the many-faceted topics that truly mattered to her, fiercely intelligent writing, deeply felt & laced w humor. Overriding it all, her steady voice of kindness & compassion.
Migrations – first-time author Charlotte McConaughy’s soulful narrative enviro-novel grabs you at Go and never lets go. Just try to put it back down. Nope.
ART: DeYoung Museum – Jules Tavernier and the Alem Pomo exhibition, documentary film and stunning display of Pomo Basketry & Regalia, from this Nation’s territory along the southeastern islands of Clear Lake, CA. Tavernier’s 1878 painting is a rare cultural encounter depicting a traditional Roundhouse – itself a giant basket in the ground – replete with Native dancing, as told from the Indigenous perspective.
Vitra Design Museum, Weil-am-Rhein, Germany – Here We Are! Women in Design 1900-Today WATCH ONLINE HERE – an exhibition of work/working conditions of women designers from Early Modernism to the Present in four chronological parts (Ray Eames, Eileen Gray, Charlotte Perriand, Patricia Urquiola..)
FREQUENT: Umami Interiors – local gem carrying both old & new, beautifully & cleverly curated. Truly stellar service!
Paraiso Plants – a great selection of lush & lovely – a mini-vacation unto itself – this Shangri-La of plant shops
FOLLOW: MissTANGQ – multi-media artist/educator/community activist/dancer/performance generator /creator; BRILLIANT forecasts & readings (I Ching, Bazi) – deeply insightful missive on the new Year of the Water Tiger a pure offering of enlightened thought including answering what it means to be masculine.
@CoyoteThunder – Obi Kaufmann, observant, highly skilled & spiritually attuned enviro-mapmaker & author/illustrator of The California Field Atlas (The State of Water; & the Forests of CA)
@_shuvam_photography_ converting the bug/insect-fearing masses via his awe-inspiring skill with his subjects’ beauty. WATCH if you want to learn to appreciate & love bugs/insects.
WATCH: As entertaining as it was, do not for one moment believe SNL Weekend Update’s Peyton Manning as he waxes poetic on Emily In Paris (low energy morally bankrupt broken record of frenemy betrayals, BTW doing Paris no favors..) I instead suggest Aziz Ansari’s compassionate-but-w-teeth take on the state of pandemic world in Netflix’s Nightclub Comedian. Bite-sized & surprisingly sweet.
Beforeigners – slyly hilarious Oslo-based crime drama featuring time travel, immigration, racism, misogyny, & – oh, yes – Jack the Ripper. Perfectly cast, impeccable comic timing, don’t you dare dubb.
Staged – howl out loud funny meta fest w David Tennant & Michael Sheen playing (or are they?) actors cast in a new production on the eve of the pandemic, deciding to forge ahead with rehearsals on Zoom. The mad/faux-dull romp only gets funnier as it rolls along, with a slew of SOLID GOLD cameos.
Pig – Nicholas Cage stars in the role of his lifetime, a perfect marriage of casting / acting / directing / story-telling / cinematography – an odyssey about love & loss, quietude & commitment, friendship & food.
LISTEN:
Raye Zaragoza haunting, fresh, plaintive, beautiful – listen once to Red & it will never leave you.
Montana talent Medicine Bundle by Supaman with I Hope You Know so moving (birdsong!) & One More
SELF CARE: please remember to be gentle w yourself. With others, too, as you can. Times are still tough, so seek out what helps you ~ a couple of the things I’m doing for myself are THIS, THIS & THIS
I am deeply & profoundly grateful for all the friends who have met me where I have needed to travel, with open arms. Sending you all love & hopes for a bright, calm & kind 2022 ~
*Deb
*Caveat emptor may the buyer beware! advance apologies for incompatibility should you choose to accept any/all of the following suggestions.
I was both honored and thrilled to be included in the recent Sculptural Objects and Functional Art & Design (SOFA) show in Chicago, IL, in association with the Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) group entry submission “100 Moments in Mosaic”. It was a wonderful opportunity to show work in collaboration with 99 other mosaic artists from the organization, showcasing a broad range of skill sets, topics, materials and methods from the collective group.
Earlier this spring a lovely couple, recently engaged, commissioned me to design and set their beautiful aquamarine gemstone – which the fiance had proposed with – into a new platinum engagement ring. Both the future bride and groom took an active role in the design process; coming into the studio as partners, outlining and discussing their desires and hopes for what the ring symbolized in their lives, and making the decisions together as they embarked on their journey forward.
Fortunately, while “It was the best of times,” well describes two weddings that recently took place, “it was the worst of times,” refers only to a momentarily-near-disastrous setback in the fabrication process (which, after much wailing and teeth gnashing, eventually got resolved. Whew!)
one of my greatest professional challenges to date. It was, at times, equal parts thrilling / terrifying – working at such a large scale (with such an enormous blow torch) – it ended up providing an incredible learning experience. (Yes, I realize I say this often.) I would like to acknowledge and praise master silversmith, Ruth Rhoten, for her Herculean efforts in overseeing this project.
Last month, after having watched the pomp and pageantry of the Queen’s diamond jubilee in London, we headed off on a long and lovely vacation in Florida where my parents – on a cruise celebrating their own golden 50th anniversary – let us stay in their stead to soak up the fabulous summer heat. Ahhh… Berkeley who?
Recently, we were blessed to be celebrating the marriage of my brother-in-law (yes, finally!) to a lovely woman, whom he is now happily traipsing through the Italian countryside with on their honeymoon. As they say in Italy, a heartfelt “Auguri!” to the both of you, W & R!
Rose cut diamonds have been in use in various forms of jewelry design since the mid 16th century. The shape of a rose cut diamond resembles the petals of an opening rose bud, rising upward on the top side into a domed shape with the underside flattened, effectively making it appear to be cut ‘upside down’. This unusual cut allows for a much larger shape with less weight – so settings can sit lower on the hand. The overall effect this cut has on the diamond is akin to comparing a brightly lit room with high powered bulbs to the sparkling glimmer of evening candlelight.
Last week a client of mine emailed from a business trip overseas to ask if we might be able to create something special for his wife for Mother’s Day. Previously, he had asked me to keep an eye out for something for his lovely light-up-the-room wife, while I was in Tucson on my annual buying trip. I had indeed found what I thought would be just the perfect thing for her – beautifully hand-carved, droplet shaped lemon citrines – in soft but vibrant honeydew melon green. These were my ‘special find’ at the show this year – that one elusive thing that, after 10 years of attending the largest gem show in the world, I had never seen before. Each year I make it a goal to find a new ‘special find’ – it always turns out to be a highlight of the trip! This beautiful sparkling gem speaks for itself, so we decided to simply suspend it from a delicate silk strand, add a handmade 18Ky gold ‘S’ clasp and just a few granulated gold bead accents. I think it looks simply lovely.
Who can believe there are only 20 days left to this year? It has been a year of many changes – some challenging, some good – and I think we are all looking forward to ushering in a new year.
I heard a fascinating segment on NPR this morning of The Writer’s Almanac by Garrison Keillor;
This past summer, my daughter Sadie and I had the pleasure of joining two of my clients at their wedding reception in Tilden Park. It was a wonderful affair, with piles of Cheese Board pizzas, kegs of rootbeer, and a field of smiling, laughing faces. It was that joyous kind of wedding event that felt like it had been composed of the hands of many happy friends and family. At the reception, I was introduced to a very sweet couple who had had their weddings rings made a few years prior, but had not been completely happy with the results. When they later came to the studio, they brought a lovely delicate 22KY gold engagement ring for us to use as the reference point for the new rings. It looked like a beautiful golden twig nestling a striking blue square turquoise. After much discussion, we went out into the garden behind the studio and hunted for just the right size, shape, and texture twig to capture the feel of the ring. Then I set to work carving both of their new wedding bands in wax. (the fun part!)
Last night I was part of the Women’s Jewelry Association’s Designers by the Bay – a fine jewelry showcase event celebrating its 13th year which was held at Shreve & Co. in San Francisco. 
Recently I experienced one of the most incredible ‘firsts’ of my entire career. A new client, Mia, contacted me about making a custom engagement ring. After a few preliminary back and forth emails, we decided to set up an appointment to meet in the studio and discuss designs. Her boyfriend, Joel, came with her to the appointment; they worked together on the design, choosing a gorgeous ruby as the focal gem with a small brilliant white diamond accent, set into white gold. I had already warned them that I was leaving soon for Italy for a month, and would not be able to finish the ring until after I got back. They had made plans to leave on their own vacation just a couple of days after my return. We managed to get to the finished metal stage the day before they were to leave, with the only remaining step being the setting of the gems.
jewelry | design 
