Thoughts on Artful Stylefrom The Artful Soul®!
This page updated 1/20/10
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Here we enjoy sharing thoughts on what "Artful Style" means! We have a point of view, that is represented in our product selection of "artistically inspired jewelry, handbags and gifts" . . . and our designers have thoughts and inspirations to share on why and how they make what they do . . . and then all the gals who wear or use these products have a sense of personal style to share. |
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Artful Style The Artful Soul Perspective It's all in the name The name of my La Jolla shop, website, and a line of jewelry is The Artful Soul. I am Marcea Reid, I started, operate and own this enterprise (since 1993). Many customers come into our shop simply because they like the name, it resonates with them! The name came about when I started making jewelry that was meant to be expressive and non-traditional to go with my office wardrobe (I was a corporate controller at the time). The ficticious business name I wanted to register was taken, so luckily came up with The Artful Soul as a suitable alternative. Luckily, as it is now Trademarked so we can be the only store with the name. The name is a reflection of things handmade, objects made to be aesthetically pleasing by sight or touch, skillfully created and often after experimentation and endless hours lost in the process. The source of inspiration is inside, a response to the outside. So our "artistically inspired jewelry, handbags and gifts" are borne from the soul of an artist, and also used by gals who are expressing their artistic soul! Artistic Style vs. Fashion So what makes style artistic or a fashion statement? A pair of diamond earrings do show the skillful selection and cutting of an artisan. If a single diamond is set in a manufactured prong and used as a stud earring...well I don't think that is particularly artistic, though it is an element of a gal's fashion statement (yep, we all want diamonds!). But if a designer takes that same diamond and puts it into an intricate setting with extra decoration and other stones...it becomes more artistic! Then we get to ask...is that me?...does that tell others who I am? And it is not about the materials used. Absolutely any material can be transformed into Artistic Style. So that leads to the style definition. It is something cohesive, you often find yourself drawn to the same general idea, maybe it's a level of dazzle or calm elegance, color or not, things that match or not. Hmm...maybe we'll have more thoughts on this later. And finally, what about Fashion? We know the mags and celebs tout trends in fashion. Products are made to exploit the trends. If the products are made simply in response to a trend, well then it isn't really an artistic expression, is it? If a gal selects a product simply to wear a trend for the sake of fashion, then she is not really expressing something from her soul, and maybe not even being true to her style. BUT, if an artist is inspired by a trend, borne from a response to what's going on around, then it certainly can be MORE than fashion! And if the wearer sticks with her own sense of style, she will always be IN FASHION! 
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Artful Style Designer's Point of View The Artful Soul has always put the product emphasis on the Designer, representing an artist's body of work with seasonal updates, or new collection ideas. Less about gathering products, but more on an artistic presentation. And it's all because of the artistic designers themselves! They are not anonymous corporate entities or soul-less machines! So we share some stories below... Maruca Design. . . Spring 2010: This season's word is Bo-he-mi-an, (noun) A person, as an artist or writer, who lives and acts free of regard for conventional values and practices. In other words...more Steven Battelle . . . What is beauty? what is art? why jewelry? How many millennia ago did a distant ancestor pick up a colored gem and decide that possessing this elemental crystal created a feeling that they wanted to maintain? That colored crystal was given a worth and became a desirable possession...more Paul "Yashi" of Holly Yashi. . .The phrase, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to,” sits with me as I reflect on current trends in the marketplace. In the past 25 years, the persona of the marketplace has changed, and with so many choices and chances for excellence and personal expression, the big box mega-vendors have made cheapness and mediocrity our king ...more Doe Cross of Doezignz . . . The initial inspiration for my handmade paper jewelry began with my love for paper arts and the organic nature of papermaking. In my work I combine handmade paper, paint, pearls, twigs beads and text in an attempt to illustrate human culture in context with the environment ...more Dori Csengeri . . . While designing, I visualize the woman who will wear my work. She has a defined taste and personality. I try to create for her something different, fresh and exciting, so she can play the game of fashion with me and participate in the creation of her own image. Ayala Bar . . . A rose-tinted flower peeking out of a crack in a pavement... a glint of sunlight on a rusty can... a pebble marking gentle waves in a rain shower's puddle... wherever Ayala Bar goes,her surroundings inspire her. For this creative artist, the universe is indeed in the details. Insights and ideas are ...more Mylinka . . . Rita Diana's successful handbag business prospered in New York City. "Rita the artist" watched as "Rita the businesswoman" was born. The artist yearned for textures and colors, while the businesswoman was forced to deal with deadlines and administration. While sales were soaring, her spirit was ...more Blue Bus Studio . . . Artist Tim Garvin named the business for his inspiration Meher Baba. In 1939 Meher Baba and close associates made a lengthy tour of India in a small blue bus. Like all the great ones, his message can be summed up this way: the goal of life is to free ourselves in the love of ...more |
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