Artist Spotlight: Fine Art Jewelry & Metal Work by Kat Cole

One of the more exciting parts of my job at Interiors by Jacquin is having the opportunity to meet so many talented artists and designers. My recent studio visit at the home of artist Kat Cole has not only re-invigorated me, but also inspired me to bring you more behind the scenes artist interviews.

You will love the work of Kat Cole. She is a fine art jewelry designer and metalsmith creating work that uniquely mirrors the built environment. You will notice inspiration from industrial surroundings blended with Cole's colorful aesthetic. 

An enjoyable time chatting with contemporary jewelry artist Kat Cole in her plant filled home. 

'Boundary Lines Loop' necklace, steel, 2017. Kat Cole.

Kat Cole is currently a full-time studio artist based in Dallas, TX and is the co-founder of Jewelry Edition. She has been a presenter at Yuma Symposium and Craft Boston, she teaches workshops nationally and has exhibited internationally. You can watch our inspirational, on-camera interview at the end of this post. 

'Built #2' necklace, steel. 2016. Kat Cole.

(Left) 'Boundary Lines Shadow' necklace, steel, enamel. 2017. Kat Cole. 

(Right) 'Urban Color #2' necklace, steel, enamel. Kat Cole.

After admiring Kat Cole's jewelry design, we turned our attention to her amazing indoor garden!

Her one-of-a-kind work is sold online and in stores at Jewelry Edition as well as other retailers. You can find a full list of Kat Cole's jewelry retailers here. I look forward to adding Kat Cole's creations to my jewelry collection in the future! 

Kat Cole's stunning broaches were my favorite! I loved the originality, colors, and movement of the metal. (Above: 'Urban Color #1' broach, steel, enamel, 2017. Kat Cole.)

'Old Well' broach, steel, enamel, found object, rubber 2015, Kat Cole.

I had a lovely time chatting with contemporary metal artist Kat Cole in her plant filled home recently. It is always a bonus when you make a fabulous artist friend at the end of an interview! Follow Kat Cole on Instagram for further contemporary art inspiration.

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Houston Art Fair Experience

Artwork by artist Roy Thurston of Chimento Contemporary Gallery.

I recently visited the Houston Art Fair (and Houston for the first time!) where I had the opportunity to spend an entire weekend enjoying original fine art. I served as the Houston Art Fair's VIP representative which meant that I attended the fair's VIP private art tours, taking place at the homes of select art collectors across the city. After my exciting weekend I highly recommend attending the Houston Art Fair, and of course any local art fairs that you have the opportunity to visit. I am pleased to share with you the highlights from my recent Houston Art Fair experience, which I must say was fantastic.

Painting by James Michalopoulos.

This old house with the hazy purple sky was one of my favorite paintings of the weekend. The artist, James Michalopolous, is know for painting representations of historic New Orleans homes in vibrant color palettes.

Ornate bamboo sculptures from a range of Japanese artists, Tai Modern.

I was really impressed by the Japanese bamboo art, featuring highly detailed baskets and sculptures made of bamboo while attending the Houston Art Fair. The Tai Modern Art Gallery curated this collection of bamboo works from a range of highly trained Japanese artists. I've seen this style of bamboo art at other museums and it's hard to believe that this intricate style of basket is created in much larger sizes, as well. 

Painting by Roseta Santiago of Blue Rain Gallery.

Another stunning work was this piece from artist Roseta Santiago who paints on Native American themes with photo-quality figurative work. The Blue Rain Gallery booth was filled with Native American artistic treasures from paintings like the one shown above to ceramic works and more. 

Paintings by Mark Heine, "Sirens" collection. Peninsula Art Gallery. 

Contemporary art jewelry design by Annemieke Broenink.

Contemporary art jewelry design by Liv Blavarp, made of wood, Charon Kranson Arts.

This art fair made sure there was something for everyone from comic book artwork that my husband loved, to sculptural jewelry, and more feminine artwork like the Christian Louboutin shoe piece shown below. I really enjoyed the jewelry designs of Annemeike Broenink and Liv Blavarp while at the art fair (shown above). I love the idea of jewelry that's like a mini-sculpture for your neck. These are these just the type of jewelry designs I look forward to adding to my collection. I was also pleased to see that there were more than one contemporary fine art jewelry designer represented at the Houston Art Fair, in addition to other non-traditional art mediums.

X-ray style artwork by Nick Veasey, 'Christian Louboutin', Evan Lurie Gallery.

Myself with artist Chong-Ok Lee Matthews, Korean landscape painter.

Attending the Houston Art Fair had the added benefit of meeting amazing artists in person. I really enjoyed meeting artist Chong-Ok Matthews whose paintings captured my attention because of their serene color palette. I'm photographed above in front of Chong-OK's gallery wall of soothing landscape paintings. I am looking forward to seeing more of this artists' work and featuring her on the blog in the near future.

Myself at the home of renowned art collector Lestor Marks, VIP private art tour. (ARTNews' 'Top 200 Collectors in the World)

One of the most exciting parts of working for the Houston Art Fair was attending the exclusive VIP events. I had the honor of serving as the Houston Art Fair's VIP Representative at two unforgettable art tours of private home collections. I have included some photos from my visit to the home of Lester Marks, a renowned art collector who has been featured internationally. 

Lester showing us his collection of Andy Warhol paintings.

Walking through Lester's home was quite the experience. Each room is filled with one-of-a-kind art installations transforming the home into a delightful creative habitat. Lester has been collecting artwork for over 20 years and continues to acquire more unique pieces like the ones shown here. 

Lester's kitchen design was accented with a net made of Barbies hanging from the ceiling!

I rounded out my weekend with the Houston Art Fair by viewing the work of one of my favorite artists, Nick Cave, right in the middle of Lester's living room! You can only imagine my surprise to round the corner of him home and see a full sized Nick Cave "Sound Suit". If you haven't heard about Nick Cave's Sound Suits, they are quite spectacular and imaginative. Nick Cave's Sound Suits can be worn and moved in as performance art or displayed as a sculptural piece. Getting a photo in front of one of Nick Cave's Sound Suits was definitely a highlight for me. I must thank Lester for welcoming us into his home and inviting us into his amazing world of fine art. These are the kind of experiences that invigorate my passion for fine art.

Artist Nick Cave known for his "Sound Suits".

Nick Cave was also just featured on PBS' Art in the 21st Century series. The Chicago episode featuring Nick Cave is definitely worth watching. Any art lover will love this new PBS series!

Myself in front of Nick Cave's 'Sound Suit' at the home of collector Lester Marks. 

I had a great time joining the Urban Expositions team for the weekend. The Houston Art Fair was full of surprises and definitely worth the trip. If you didn't have the opportunity to visit the Houston Art Fair this year, I recommend stopping by next year or in the future. For more great artwork visit the Interiors by Jacquin Art page. 

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Designer Spotlight: Fashion and Interiors on the Mexico Border

Megan Feuille is a fashion and interior designer living in El Paso, Texas and the founder of Paloma El Paso. Fueled by the cultural influences of living in a border town where the sister city is Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, Megan's designs have a distinctly light and airy Mexican essence. Rebecca Quinones, one of the fantastic interns for Interiors by Jacquin, recently connected with designer Megan Feuille and had the opportunity to learn more about Megan's passion for design and her creative connection to Mexico. Check out this culturally inspired interor design and fashion brand - Paloma El Paso.

PHILOSOPHY:

Megan's philosophy on design (for interiors as well as fashion) is the importance of keeping the design fun and accessible. She also tries to remember that nothing is ever THAT big of a deal, and that there is always room for improvement.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP:

As I asked Megan how she built her business from the ground as an entrepreneur, she said that before Paloma El Paso, she had never even thought of owning her own business.

Megan graduated with degrees in Religious Studies and Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin, but was always interested in design. After graduating from college, she taught preschool in Austin for 5 years, then started a design blog for her own enjoyment.

One day, Megan received an email from a friend asking if she owned her own design business, asking for her help. Instead of answering immediately, Megan sent in her paperwork to the state comptroller, claimed herself a business owner the very next day, and got to work. Megan and her husband then made their move to El Paso, desiring a change of pace. She ran her blog for a year, took a break, did fashion styling and worked for a nonprofit organization called Ciudad Nueva. During this break, she asked herself… "What if I worked with women in Mexico to make traditional Mexican clothes for the American marketplace?" 

She envisioned something easy, feminine, and of course, accessible. Megan sent her lacey, airy, and casual designs to Southern Mexico to her old roommate and friend from college, Candice Leigh, the founder of Oh Fox Creative. Megan loved the results, but put everything on hold when her and her husband got the call for their adoption and started their beautiful family. Once she got back on track, she designed her own website, new ideas, and is even her own model.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS:

One of my biggest questions for Megan was "How does it all work?" Once Paloma El Paso started back up again, Megan sent more designs in, and what she received next were samples of her own designs. If something isn't quite right, she makes the edits for the item to be re-woven and the process begins again.

Megan expressed just how grateful she is for the women in Mexico and the collaboration they've forged in addition to being appreciative of everyone who visits her site. Everything Megan designs for Paloma El Paso is hand woven with love and care on a traditional loom. Megan describes her designs as "handmade works of art", which is completely accurate. She wants people to appreciate and enjoy how beautiful these hand creations are, all while protecting the makers' integrity. 

CREATIVE INSPIRATION:

"I like to follow designers I admire, like Kelly Wearstler."

Megan uses photos from other great artists to inspire her designs. She also loves to travel and to see pictures of where other people go. This is represented in the cultural influences of her designs as she admires Latin American textiles from Mexico, Peru and Guatemala. Megan also takes influences from Morocco, where she's also had the opportunity to visit. 

INTERTWINING PASSIONS:

Working in two different industries, fashion and interior design simultaneously, has both varying and intersecting elements, but the foundation of both are style. Megan balances working in these industries by keeping a relaxed approach and remembering that it's really all connected. Besides making her job fun, Megan's number one piece of advice for young designers is having "good basics and crazy accessories". She loves to mix high and low. The same applies to interiors. It makes sense to spend more money on items that last forever (like a sofa), and selecting these more expensive items in neutral tends to make sense. However, you can go crazy with a bold rug or throw that can easily be switched out and still create a colorful interior. It's all about balance. 

Megan also loves to mix silhouettes in fashion and interiors and believes that confidence is key when pulling off any look. Megan's take home point... "As far as fashion:anything goes. There aren't as many rules as people think there are." So have fun with it!

Visit Paloma El Paso to catch Megan Feuille's latest designs!

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Blue Print Store Tour - Luxury Home Furnishings

It was such a treat to tour the Blue Print store in Dallas, Texas! Blue Print sells unique, luxury home furnishings and original art. One of the things that makes this store so special is that it's located in a beautiful, historic home. The first thing I took note of when arriving was the store's welcoming and home-like feel. The Blue Print store has taken their historical residence and created a home-style shopping experience, not to mention the fact that the Blue Print team is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Visitors can walk around the entire home, both upstairs and downstairs and shop stunning and unique home decor in a home-like setting.

All of Blue Print's furniture and decor is stunning! The Blue Print team sources much of its luxury furnishings from Europe and abroad, including antique furniture and vintage fine art. It is really nice to see all of these home furnishings in a true, homestyle setting. The contemporary decor and vintage finds blend perfectly with the Blue Print team's expert interior styling. 

Blue Print has maximized their space by refreshing the home's original details and maintaining its historic charm. Beautiful decorative molding and ornate sky blue doors are around every corner in this store. With the exception of the eye-catching molding, everything in this store can be purchased from the furniture to the artwork on the walls. 

In addition to home decor, Blue Print also sells stunning jewelry accessories. I absolutely love these earrings shown from Nicole Bathie Designs! (See below)

Loving these earrings from Nicole Bathie Designs!

Fantastic vintage finds and curiosities like these Victorian calling card holders can also be found at Blue Print. (see below) These would be perfect for our modern day business cards and ink pens!

The Blue Print team was kind enough to show me around the store and tell me about the amazing original artwork they carry. While they sell artwork from Europe and abroad, much of their impressive artwork is created by artists local to Dallas. Some of the notable Texas-based artists they carry include Arienne Lepretre, Megan Adams Books, and Brenda Bogart. Blue Print also regularly hosts art shows in their incredible space. 

Gallery wall featuring the figurative artwork of Brenda Bogart. 

I loved how the Blue Print team has decorated every room so distinctly. I especially love this gallery wall (above) and these gorgeous vases with tropical palm leaves, shown below. I learned that they redecorate on nearly a weekly basis to keep the designs fresh and to make room for new inventory. Their regular redecorating makes for a one-of-a-kind experience every time you stop by the store!

If you're a lover of coffee table books, then you would have loved this oversized dining table filled with a range of chic and highly interesting coffee table books. Each room of the store holds exciting interior decor and accessories, and every inch of the house is lined with colorful original artwork, and more!

All of Blue Print's furniture is high-quality and truly unique, just the type of selection those of you with discerning taste will appreciate. For example, how fab are these unique, yellow chairs!? (shown below) If you'd be interested in adding Blue Print's lovely decor to your own home, you'll have to come by the store in person to shop. However, Blue Print's luxury and bold decor selections are certainly worth the trip! I definitely plan to come back again when it's time to redecorate my own space. Their team is also extremely warm and welcoming, which is always the cherry on top of a great shopping experience.

After an enjoyable visit to the Blue Print store, I'm looking forward to my next visit already! This is definitely THE place in Dallas for luxury furnishings. The Blue Print store is located in downtown Dallas at 2707 Fairmount Street, Dallas TX, 75201. If you pop into the Blue Print store for a visit, let them know that you learned about the store from this blog. Happy shopping! 

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