Top 100 Shops 2014!

Still catching my breath... so beyond honored to have been chosen as one of the Top 100 Shops 2014 by the SF Chronicle.  The story was featured in the Sunday Style section; we were nominated by taste-maker and author of This is Oakland book Melissa Davis.  I cannot even begin to describe how wonderful it feels to be recognized in this way.

It is also so lovely to see all the traction in Oakland.  I love this city, with all it's complexity and layers and I am so proud to call it my home both personally and professionally.

Thank you to everyone who has been supporting us over the years-- my little dream is nothing without the community of people who appreciate and love what we are doing, not to mention our bad-ass team-- Christina and Solee I'm talking to you!

Thank you!  So full!

In celebration, we are offering a 10% discount through October for those on our email list.


High-five everybody!

L O V E + M E T A L

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Insta Love // Re Elle

What influences, inspires, sets your heart on fire?  Curiosity about what does that for other people opens up new ways to get inspired and lit up.  I love to watch what my jeweler peers are doing, what they are being moved by and how that eventually turns up in their work.

My Insta Love feature will now be all about this: my favorite outtakes from the jewelers and artists we house in the shop.This art form and craft, at its best, goes beyond making pretty little things.  It is tapping into the same human and universal mysteries that all art gets itself into.

Today I am sharing some of my favorite shots from Brooklyn designer Re Elle.  I own one of her Fold Cuffs, it is a daily wear that feels a part of my body.  Her feed is one of my most heart-throbby.

Follow her @re_elle
Enjoy.

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ORIGINS // Miguel Farias

Our current photography exhibit at Crown Nine is body of work,'Ode to My Father' by Bay Area artist Miguel Farias.  Each small photograph shot in a color film that is no longer produced, the textures are vivid and eerie, the landscapes and small worlds photographed in California and Nevada over the course of two years.  Each image is perfectly hand framed by Miguel himself.

Miguel The Master Framer.  Photo by Paul Mueller

I sat down with Miguel to talk to him about being an artist, his process and work.  Enjoy.

KE: Why do you make art?

MF:  I've loved making stuff my whole life.  I think making art is hard, so am constantly challenging myself to make stuff that interesting and perhaps if produced well, it becomes art. I may set out to make stuff with the intention that it will elevate itself to art, but that's not always the case.  I love the feeling I get when i make something good and someone is moved by it and then shares that with me, gives me chills when that happens.

KE:  What themes are in your current work?

MF:  I've been making more portraits again.  I have a few ideas going at once, hoping one will get a little traction and I'll work those images through to hopefully produce an interesting and beautiful body of work.

Pyramid Lake 1995

Botanicals 1996

Old Car 2 1995

KE:  How has your work changed over time?

MF:  Well, I think it's gotten better, thank god! I can finish pieces better, faster, stronger, kinda like the six million dollar man...

KE:  Best piece of advice you have gotten?

MF:  Do a good job, ok.  Don't fuck it up, ok.

KE:  What artwork or artists influence your work?

MF:  All of my teachers from art school had a huge influence on me.  Folks like Jack Fulton, Linda Connor, Reagan Louie, and Hank Wessel.  I also really like photographers that work in color, like Richard Misarach, Edward Burtynsky, Len Jenshel, Pete Turner and John Pfahl.  But I guess the biggest influence on me has been cinema.  I love movies and watch a ton on a weekly basis.

KE:  How do you want someone to feel while looking at your work?

MF: I don't really care how they feel, so long as they feel something.  Photographs carry so much representational weight that its tough to control how someone will feel about a piece but I guess that's what makes a piece of art or a maybe even a good piece of art.

KE:  How do you know when a piece is finished?

MF:  It's usually pretty clear to me.  With modern tools, it's pretty easy to overwork a piece, so I usually do, then back it off until it feels right again.  I'm a feel player.

KE:  What do you admire in other people?

MF:  Elegance, beauty, kindness and a good sense of humor

KE:  What special talent would you choose if you could magically gain one?

MF:  I think I'd like to fly, I have flying dreams all the time.

KE:  How does destruction play a role in your work?

MF:  It really doesn't.  I like being a creator, but am not opposed to burning all down and starting over, I just don't practice that in my work.

KE: What design are you most proud of/ sentimental/ moved by? 

MF:  I guess I'm most proud of my last body of work, 'Gh0st L1fe', I produced it in 2010 with my dear friend, Allison Reilly, who was 18 at the time.  It got the most exposure of anything I've ever made and it was really well received.  It was shown in three venues over the course of two years, and it was very exciting to get so much attention for it.  Collaborating with Allison meant a lot to me.

Gh0st L1fe explores the nature of our relationships with technology, consumption, loneliness and solitude.

I love how these images capture a sort of passive attention that is very directional, it's almost as if the computer is in charge and the subject is just absorbing.

KE:  Current obsessions?

MF:  Pliny the Elder, David Bowie, La Luz, starting a band

Miguel's show runs through the second week of August.  You can see his exhibition during our regular business hours, Weekdays 12-6 and Saturday 12-5.  Every image in the series in a limited edition pigment ink print in archival hand frame.  $180.

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Origins // Variance Objects

At Crown Nine our motto is 'Real Objects Made By Real People' because we believe that where things come from matters.  That how things are made and who makes them matters.  That objects have significant power and can deepen our everyday experiences.  So with that in mind, we are beginning a new regular blog feature called 'Origins' in which we will talk with each of our artists in depth about the origins of the objects they make.

First up is one of our newest artists, Nicole Rimedio, the designer behind Variance Objects.  Nicole founded Variance in 2013 with her partner Scott. Scott manages operations and Nicole is the artist. They both have a passion for gemstones and together they source the finest natural and unusual gem specimens and rough rock. Nicole and Scott live and work in Santa Cruz, California.  Find them on Instagram @varianceobjects .

We have met Nicole and Scott a few times over the years, and this summer added Nicole's work to the shop which they dub as Rough Fine Jewelry.  We love the cohesiveness of her irregularities, how each piece almost looks suspended in it's process.  Fusing silver and gold together for her settings, the overall aesthetic is an esoteric twist on classic gemstone-centric jewelry that we just cannot get enough of.  Here is our interview together, boiled down to the essentials.

KE:  Why do you make art?

N: I'm unhappy doing anything else.  I tried to not be an artist and I was miserable.  I think I was born this way.

KE:  What themes are in your current work?

N:  Destruction and erosion and the juxtaposition of those themes to the pristine. Those qualities become magnified when in relation to each other.  It's both pleasing and confusing to the eye.



KE:  Current obsessions?

N:  Stones.  I have lots of books on stones, both scientific and metaphysical.  Nothing better than a day at a gem show. One of the things I love about Santa Cruz is all the young travelers selling rough stones on the street.  Each room in my house has a place set aside for stones.  I hold, carry them and sleep with them.  I even hide them under Scott's pillow (my husband and co-owner of Variance).  I don't think he minds.  Well, he doesn't always realize it until he has strange dreams and I have to come clean.

 

KE:  Best piece of advice you have gotten?

N:  A glass artist I worked for in Cleveland, Steven Tater, once told me, "the key to being an artist is to keep showing up".

KE:  What artwork or artists influence your work?

N:  Abstract expressionist painters such as Agnes Martin, Jackson Pollock, Gerhard Richter.

KE:  How do you want someone to feel while wearing your work?

N:  I want them to feel like the piece is theirs, like it has always belonged to them.  Sometimes it feels like the jewelry is looking for the right person as much as vice versa.



KE:  How do you know when a piece is finished?

N:  It feels like it takes a breath.  And also there aren't any sharp edges.

KE:  What do you admire in other people?

N:  Competence and risk-taking.





KE:  What special talent would you choose if you could magically gain one?

N:  Fireproof hands

KE:  How does destruction play a role in your work?

N:  Big time!  Sometimes I think about Variance jewelry as artifacts or found in ruins.  You know what I mean if you know my work.  Sometimes the pieces are about the way the fire moves the metal; that molten quality has a destroyed feeling. It's all about the interaction of the fire and metal.



Stay tuned for more Origins posts with our house of artists.
L O V E + M E T A L

All images courtesy of the artist, Copyright 2014 Variance Objects.

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New Arrivals from Brooklyn to the Bay

It's like Christmas morning every time I get a nice new box of jewels from one of our amazing artists, and this week we are the luckiest kids on the block.  

WELCOMING NEW DESIGNERS

Claire Kinder | Brooklyn NY

R.E. Elle | Brooklyn NY

NEW WORK BY

Amanda Hunt | SF

Kate Ellen Metals | Oakland {Hey, that's me!}

Aiko Designs | Oakland

Corey Egan | SF

Claire Buck | Austin TX

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This is Oakland // Book Release

Tour some of Oakland's best restaurants and retail nestled in 5 distinctive neighborhoods. A nice little sliver of our big, beautiful and complex city.

Flipping through the dense and rich photography of the pages, I was astonished at how many places I had never been to or heard about.  It reads like the best kind of to-do list.   And!  Old Oakland has a beautiful little spread featuring all my pals in the neighborhood, and yours truly!

The book sold out in the shop on it's first day and I am getting more in today.  Come in to the store or get it online.

Also, save the date for a super fun launch party taking place next weekend in Old Oakland to celebrate the launch of the book.

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ASTRAL DECKS by Obi Kaufmann

 I first met Obi back when my studio was at The Hive.  I've been following his art ever since, so when I saw that he was in the process of creating his own 'tarot' deck based on the stars of the Northern hemisphere, I had to get my hands on them.

I love any tool that helps shift perspective and gets me out of a mental rut.  Sometimes these tools are the kind words of a friend, a song, a piece of art on a wall in a museum, astrology readings, a good self-helpie book, an inspiring quote, whatever... as long as it makes me consider a different perspective.  I often find myself guarding my own little worldview and position, and these little tools chip away at that protective instinct, in the best of scenarios absolutely exploding my old ideas apart.  I like that.  Let's shift paradigms, like on the regular.

The Astral Deck is a really self guided tool, simply open the deck and go for it.  Inspiration is to be had in the characters taken directly from the night sky, from the forms Obi calls into the world, and from our own connection to the people we are with.  Get hella deep with it or just make it a way to kill time when the sun goes down on a camping trip.

The decks are available in the store and online | $25

Enjoy

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In The Studio

I finally got around to cleaning up and making pretty my mezzanine studio above the shop.  Common issue for creative types is to spend zero time making the working space conducive to creating.  But having a clean, organized, and aesthetically beautiful space to do my most important work seems pretty basic and important, like a big forehead smacking 'DUH'.

Since the space really is utilized for making, it often gets untidy and dirty (like actual dirt, grime, and dust) so there are limits to how much 'pretty' to put into a space like this.  I found just hanging a few pieces of art, adding a plant or two, and organizing my tools really transformed the space.  Take a peek, and enjoy.

Turquoise Woman by Obi Kaufmann

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LOVE STRUCK // Andrew + Sequoia

Meet Andrew and Sequoia, two of my most beloved clients who recently tied the knot in Oakland.  The duo is aspiring to become restaurateurs, currently satiating their appetite with a beautiful blog CASA PEPE, overflowing with gorgeous photos and recipes that any food lover will drool over.  Keep your eyes on these two, the restaurant they are dreaming up is bound to be exceptional.

I remember when Andrew stopped by the shop back when it was still in the alley, he was so sweet and nervous-- not about the decision to ask Sequoia to be his wife {which he was so certain about}, but about getting the ring part right, and getting up the nerve to actually ask her.  He popped by a few times before deciding exactly what he wanted to get for her, and together we designed a Classic Engagement ring for her.  Later they came back in and got their wedding bands, he picked the Classic Wedding Band and she paired her diamond with a simple mitsuro style Feather Band.  They were so fun and easy to work with-- I knew their wedding day would be a relaxed and joyful day because that is what they embody together.  

Here is their love story in their own words, enjoy.

1// How did you meet, what was your initial impression?

SEQUOIA: We met at a dive bar- The Graduate to be exact. My friend literally dragged me out of the house right after I had returned from a most fucked up trip to Argentina. A cute boy, Andrew, walked up to me and offered to light my cigarette. For the rest of the night we spoke only Spanish to each other, in fact he introduced himself as Andrés. He called me for dinner an appropriate 3 days later and the rest is history. 

ANDREW:  We met at a dive called the Graduate.  I though she was super cute and offered to buy her and her friend a Fernet.  She didn't really seem interested in me, and I was acting pretty sassy, she'll probably say she thought I was gay and latino.  We talked about our favorite public television chef José Andrés.  She invited me over to her place to watch a documentary on Frida.  PS. that's all that went down.  Neither one of us was looking for love but we sure found it.  

2 // A memorable moment from dating prior to getting engaged?

SEQUOIA:  We've had some really great trips- Spain, New York and Portland to name a few… But the best times to me are the times that we had, sitting around the house drinking coffee, listening to NPR and cooking. There's nothing sexier than a man in an apron.

ANDREW:  We had a really long and crazy date about a month in.  We'd gone to the Jeremiah O'Brian, that docked old merchant marine ship in SF, for some kind of an all day beer drinking event.  It was kind of a shit show, she got pretty upset that someone tried to give her watermelon flavored beer.  Then I took her to a bunch of old man bars in North Beach and Chinatown.   We might have broken up and gotten back together that day.  I think that date really tested our compatibility. 

3 // How did you become engaged?

SEQUOIA:  Andrew proposed on our 3 year anniversary in the middle of the street, in from of the same liquor store that he had told me he loved me for the first time- a week after we met.

ANDREW:  It was her birthday three years after we had met.  I took her to the Claremont for a "staycation".  We went down to College to get some dinner and I was trying to work up the courage to pop the question.  There's a parking lot there that's in front of a liquor store, I know it's not glamorous but it was the first place I told her that I loved her, so it has a special significance to us.  She started crying when she saw the ring and then she said, "Yes."

4// Favorite moments from your wedding.  Did you have any special ritual or tradition?

SEQUOIA: We spent the night away from each other, which was very unusual for us. When I arrived and saw him standing at the end of the aisle- it felt like such a homecoming. He looked unbelievably handsome. We held each others hands so tight. Feeling the love and support of our friends and family around us, as we said our vows with the sun shining through the tree branches, was a dream.

Also, our wedding party gave some of the most heartfelt, beautiful and hilarious speeches, ever. Hearing the blessings and memories from some of our dearest friends was super cool.  And I really do need to mention the food. We are so food oriented that it would be wrong not to salute our fantastic kitchen crew that made one of the best meals of my life.

We didn't really have any rituals but we did dance our asses off. Dancing with my mom, twirling and sobbing, will always be one of my greatest memories. 

ANDREW:  Our wedding was magic.  It was a DIY Oakland style affair.  We had the ceremony in Joaquin Miller and the reception a the Starline Social Club.  Having so many family and friends in one place is almost overwhelming.  The actual event went by so fast its like one great moment in time.  It makes me feel lucky to have so many people willing to give us love and support.  We had lost some important people in our lives in the previous couple of years so it was important to keep them in our thoughts.  

photo by Dustin Cantrell

photo by Dustin Cantrell

photo by Dustin Cantrell

5// The magic ingredient is: 

SEQUOIA:  FIRE! I'm Spanish and he's Italian so there's never a dull moment. But we follow the golden rule of never going to sleep mad at each other. OH and SALT! Andrew always says- when you think you've added enough salt- add twice as much!

ANDREW: We are partners in life.  We stick together with unconditional love and affection.   But we don't kill each other because we know how to fight and compromise.  


L O V E + M E T A L

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The Cook and Her Farmer

Today marked another brilliant day in Old Oakland: the soft opening of the long awaited 'The Cook and Her Farmer' oyster bar in Swan's Market.  Swan's is a historic marketplace, sometimes called the Housewive's Market-- and used to serve all of Oakland and neighboring towns with the best local produce, meats, poultry, fish, and housewares.  For many years after it's peak, the area sat dormant and asleep.

Three years ago, neighbor Cosecha opened in the market with intensely beautiful tacos and simple Mexican fare (I eat there at least 4 times a week, they are directly across from me and the shop, and I seriously can never get enough).  Soon after, Ms. Ollie's, Periscope Cellars and Rosamunde joined Cosecha and the historic Sincere Seafood and Taylor Sausage counters, rounding out the space with more fresh places to eat or pick up ingredients for a home-cooked meal.

But now I have another amazing reason to cross the street, as so do you.  Romney Steele (of Nepenthe fame) and her oyster aficionado partner Steve opened an incredible counter to gulp down the freshest oysters, all while sitting al fresco in a bustling marketplace.  

I was chomping at the bit all day to get over there, the minute the clock struck six I met up with my Dad, his wife, Marion and Rose's Workshop owner Kerri, and Tamarindo owner Alfonso.  We all chatted, drank beer and prosecco, and wolfed down oyster after oyster.  Then I had an incredible peach, kumquat and avocado salad from Cosecha while I tasted a little nibble of a super crispy grilled cheese from The Cook.  

As if you needed another reason to relax all day in Old Oakland, later this summer B-DAMA, notable Japanese restaurant, will be opening a noodle bar within the same marketplace.  

Oakland is about to have it's heyday, where you at?

The noisy and bustling view from my studio bench

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