21 May 2019

From New York to San Francisco

Kreamondo went on a trip across the United States where we had the opportunity to discover the amazing work of designer-makers and creators. From the New York’s urban jungle to San Francisco’s refreshing and soothing seaside air, let’s meet these talented creators.

Our first stop, Raleigh, North Carolina, where we met with the artist behind HTY Jewelry.

From a young age, Hsiang-Ting Yen had been fond of the fun geometric shapes and colours of jewellery. However, it’s not until an introductory course to this craft in 2006 that she found her true calling. After practising and studying jewellery making for more than 7 years, she opened HTY Jewelry in 2013. There, she showcases handcrafted jewellery collections made with 100% natural gemstones.

Our second stop on our journey was Brooklyn, New York where we met with Chelsea Miller from Chelsea Miller Knives.

Raised in Vermont and having later moved to New York City, it’s with a knowledge of the urban and rural world that Chelsea crafts her knives. It’s in her native Vermont and under her father’s tutelage that she started experimenting with knife making, understanding the art of woodworking and metallurgy. The duality of knowing how to live off the land and to zig-zag in the urban jungle has allowed for Chelsea’s unbridled imagination to run wild and transpire through her knives.

Continuing down South, in Austin, Texas, where we met with candle-makers Michelle and John from Slow North.

As our awareness of the toxicity of certain chemicals in home goods grows, there is a rise in the number of makers and consumers promoting the use of cleaner and safer ingredients. As candle-makers, they made the conscious choice to avoid using petroleum byproducts from the start, using soy-wax instead. Slow North strives to offer an alternative to people demanding transparency and traceability from makers.

We then stopped in San Francisco, California where we witnessed Anna Monet hard at work, designing and crafting unique jewellery pieces.

Each wearable has a story to tell. In the West Coast’s vibrant landscapes, she finds inspiration for new and eclectic jewellery collections. With a sustainable approach and a concern for the future of her craft, the artist hand makes each piece using plant-based dyes and natural horse hair collected by the Caddo tribe of Southeastern United States.

Last on our trip was Baltimore, Maryland. There, in a world of geometric forms and clean lines, we met with La Loupe Design.

Jorgelina Lopez and Marco Duenas founded an innovative and unusual textile studio and woodshop. Combining both Mid-century designs and Japanese techniques, their work showcases their artistic minds and their craftsmanship. The name La Loupe (meaning magnifying glass in French) foreshadows their intent as artists : only by closely studying and interpreting natural forms and geometric principles can one explore an infinite number of creative avenues.

Thus concluded our sweet escape to the U.S. The diversity of crafts and art forms there was something to behold. The country’s vastness and sumptuous landscapes has been a source of inspiration for artists and makers alike for centuries and we hope it will remain the same for years to come.