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My grandfather came to this country from Turkey. He brought with him Turkish folktales and his love of music. In the summer of 1990, I decided to put to paper all of his Turkish stories, which sent me on a journey to research my family history.
After my grandfathers death, I interviewed my grandmother to find out her story. At 17, she met my grandfather and they crossed the state border to get married, since she was too young to marry in the State of New York. During my interview, she went to the closet and took out a pink department store box full of heirloom photographs, letters, newspaper clippings, menus and programs that documented their life together. Though I didn't know the name for it at the time that is when my fascination with Ephemera began. All of these photographs and clippings told a story -- a love story -- of my grandparents.
Inspired by my grandmother, I created The Ephemera Collection, found art jewelry that celebrates the past by taking everyday items often taken for granted and reinventing them into a piece of wearable art for a modern age.
My new work, inspired by my grandfather, an accomplished tailor in New York, includes a line of handbags and accessories that picks up where The Ephemera Collection left off.
My studio is located at Artspace in Downtown Raleigh's Historic City Market. Artspace is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on the First Friday of every month from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Artspace Studio 109A
201 East Davie Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Telephone: (919) 454-9032
E-mail: lauren_onlylauren.com
Ephemera is the window into our past. The contemporary definition of ephemera is "something short lived or transitory... and normally intended for disposal."
The Ephemera Collection explores the transitory treasures or everyday items often taken for granted, such as postage stamps, labels, posters, and advertisements - fleeting bits of a vanished or vanishing time - and reinvent them into a piece of wearable art for a modern age.
Vintage labels are transferred to polymer clay and handformed into beads. The beads are then woven and twined together with Swarovski crystals and vintage glass beads to form these one-of-a-kind pieces.
The Ephemera Collection has been featured in Lapidary Journal, Southern Living, Ornament, and American Style, as well as on HGTV.
My grandfather was a tailor in New York and had three sportswear companies named for his three children: Renee Sportswear, Mark Sportswear, and Estelle Sportswear. Last January, armed with my grandfather's scissors, I set out to create an accessory line.
After spending the first part of the year teaching myself how to sew, I challenged myself to complete an accessory inspired by Project Runway Season Nine. Three months and twelve bags later, I completed what I affectionately call Project Runway Studio 109A.
In October, I was asked to create a 25th Anniversary Commemorative Handbag for Artspace, a non-profit visual art center in Raleigh in which I have had a studio for the past six years.
My Project Runway Studio 109A handbags have been featured in The News & Observer and on the official Project Runway Fan Page, Blogging Project Runway.
Elements Day Spa
126 F South Main Street
Kernersville, NC 27284
(336) 992-2772 (336) 992-2772
North Carolina Crafts Gallery
212 West Main Street
Carrboro, North Carolina
(919) 942-4048 (919) 942-4048
The Eclectic Collector
215 Katonah Avenue
Katonah, NY 10536
(914) 232-8700 (914) 232-8700
BishopsStock Gallery
202 West Green Street
Snow Hill, MD 21863
(410) 632-3555 (410) 632-3555
Quirk Gallery
311 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 644-5450 (804) 644-5450
Santa Fe Weaving Gallery
124 1/2 Galisteo
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(866) 982-1737 (866) 982-1737
Arhaus Furniture
Tysons Corner Center
7871L Tysons Corner Center
McLean, VA 22102
Phone: (703) 734-9001
24613 Cedar Road
Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Phone: (216) 382-6053
Terzian Gallery
309 Main Street
Park City, Utah
(435) 649-4927 (435) 649-4927
Susan's Treasures
900 Market S treet #1
Lemoyne, PA 17043
(717) 731-7250 (717) 731-7250
Hearts & Dragonflies
8261 South Harvard Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74137
(918) 392-3399 (918) 392-3399
Artistic Designs by Helen
222 West Main Street
Plymouth, PA 18651
(570) 824-8321
Milward Farrell Fine Art
2701 Monroe Street, Ste. 200
Madison, WI 53711
(608) 238-6501
Elaine Todd Distinctive Gifts
2837 North Power Road
Mesa, AZ 85215
(480) 832-4440 (480) 832-4440
Clay Nichols
106 California Avenue
Reno, NV 89509
(775) 324-0505 (775) 324-0505
Heart of the Home
18 South Main Street
New Hope, PA 18918
(215) 862-1880 (215) 862-1880
Sticks East Village
521 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
(515) 282-8713 (515) 282-8713
Haus Werk
2919 Kavanaugh
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 663-5251 (501) 663-5251
Maryann Webber Gallery
709 Lucerne Avenue
Lake Worth, FL 33460
(561) 585-0003 (561) 585-0003
©Lauren Van Hemert 2011 - 2012
