I've been doing some local St. Louis craft show and I get a lot of comments and questions from people.
What are you doing here? This is a craft fair.
Well That's true, my things are more artwork then craft and the prices are a reflection of that, but most of the local fairs I participate in are in Temples and Synagogue. That a good place to meet Jewish people who are more likely to purchase my mezuzahs, yads and Jewish star necklaces. Even though they may not be interested in buying anything today, they will take my card and remember me when they want to get a special gift or piece for themselves.
Is everything you make Jewish?
No it is not. I make a lot of jewelry. My fine silver jewelry is a reflection of my personal style and aesthetic. I like jewelry that is causal. I am a former sportswear designer so I keep current with the trends and try to incorporate styles that are up to date but still stand the test of time.
There are a lot of wonderful Jewelry Artists out there who work in PMC. One reason that I started to concentrate on making Judaica is to keep myself unique and find a niche in the market. Of course, through that process, I found I was able to express myself even more creatively and making the Judaica became my focus.
Your stuff is so beautiful, why are you not showing at Laumeier or the St. Louis Art Fair in Clayton?
Well, first of all thank you. I really appreciate that you like my work. I would love to be a part of those shows, but there is a short answer on why I am not. I do not have a booth. A proper tent (booth) with lights and display costs $2000-$4000. In order to be considered for these shows you must have a picture of your booth in your application. These shows are juried and the competition is fierce, especially in the Jewelry category. So you must have a professional display and booth to be considered, and no you can't just rent one. Buy my work and I will invest in the booth, I promise.
I sell to a lot of small gift shops in temples and they are always asking me to make something more affordable. Ok, cheaper-but with the same style and quality all my pieces. So last month I was tinkering around in the studio, trying to come up with another great Bat Mitzvah gift. I remembered that my daughters always come home from camp with an arm load of friendship bracelets, that they made or traded. The bracelets stay on until they inevitably fall apart, and off. They are really cool and a bit bohemian. I really like them, so I see do many high end jewelry designer, so why not make a Jewish version.
Well, it's Bat Mitzvah time for me again. This time it's my daughter Tamara, who is an extraordinary artist. She is very talented, but I am most impressed by her lack of restraint. She always is coming up with a new and different way of looking at things. I have to admit that I wish I had a bit more of this quality. She does not always follow the "rules"which makes her work magical. 
Tamara designed original artwork for her invitations, and is now helping to create the centerpieces which will be used at the Luncheon following the Bat Mitzvah service. We have decided to use butterflies to symbolize the metamorphosis that has occurred this past year as Tamara studies for and becomes at Bat Mitzvah. Tamara created the colorful butterfly wings using window paint and copper wire. I will fashion then into butterflies and then make then "fly" on branches (some of which come from our own garden).
My daughter's bat mitzvah is coming up in September and she has been studying and preparing for it. I decide to create a very special personalized yad for her and give it to her now so that she could use it during her practice sessions. She was so excited with the gift. The yad has her name wrapped around it and also the date of her upcoming Bat Mitzvah. I designed this yad with her personality in mind, with a whimsical top and a butterfly, which is a theme throughout her invitations and decorations for the lunch after the service. 
