By Nicole LaBosco

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, this month’s featured artist might create just the gift you were looking for. Karen Ashe created Longview Jewelry in 2016 with her husband, Blake. The couple works hand-in-hand to strike a balance between growing the business, maintaining their Lake Nona home, spending time with friends and family, being active in the Central Florida community, and caring for their two cats.

Karen Ashe graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts with a focus in Printmaking from the University of Delaware in 2007. She also has a Master’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Florida. “In order to make a living as an artist, I’ve needed various administrative skills, including professional speaking and writing, marketing, finance and accounting, and supply-chain management. I also cannot discount the importance of the retail and operations management skills I learned while at Disney in my learning journey to becoming a creative entrepreneur.”

Nonahood News spoke with Karen to learn more about her journey through the creation of jewelry.

What drove you to become an artist? When did you realize jewelry making was your passion?

My desire to create art all started with a mouse. On one of our many Florida vacations, my parents took me to the animation studio at Disney’s MGM Studios [now known as Hollywood Studios]. I vividly remember watching along with the Robin Williams/Walter Cronkite film called Back to Neverland as they rotated through different stations depicting the hand-drawn animation process with live artists working right in front of you! After that trip, I was hooked on drawing, and my parents enrolled me in various classes such as Japanese brush painting, watercolor, Egyptian hieroglyphics, stamping, calligraphy, comic book art, and so on to sate my appetite for art.

My passion for jewelry making as an art form came much later. Several years ago, I started researching 3D printing and experimented with free CAD [computer-aided design] software to learn how to use it and see what I could make. I saw potential for small objects, like jewelry, that had previously been limited by what can be carved by hand into castable wax as well as the traditional casting process. Since I was used to working on a larger canvas, I wanted to create a design that would pack as much visual interest as possible into such a small space while also being customizable. Out of that desire came my two-piece charm design, where like-shaped top pieces can be combined with different colored bottoms to create unique combinations. These are really at the center of my passion for jewelry making. When people enjoy the originality of the designs and wear them with their own personal style, it inspires me to keep creating!

How often do you find yourself creating jewelry?

One of the reasons I use the name Longview for my designs is because I am constantly looking forward. I am currently working on a new line for this fall, since it takes several months to bring a concept from design to store. When talking with customers, friends, and family, I observe their tastes and ask their opinions as inspiration for new pieces. Ideas for jewelry can come to me at any time from photos, illustrations, letterpress, interesting shapes or colors I observe in nature, printed patterns in fabric or wallpaper, works of art or sculpture. At any point in time, dozens of pieces are either developing conceptually, being modeled, prototyped and molded, or in production and being sold.

Which of your pieces would you consider your favorites? (Pick the top three.)

I love my Longview Signature Bangle. It’s a two-millimeter solid sterling silver wire that is hand-wrapped to create a coiled bangle with two bands. On one end is a soldered, hand-enameled button that bears the Longview Leaf and the other end is a delicate tapered curve that charms can be threaded onto. The bangle is hand polished to a shiny, mirrored finish. I designed it to be elegant when worn alone or with the addition of many charms.

The shape of the curve in my Signature Bangle is echoed in my Longview Signature Ring. The ring, in sterling silver or 14K gold, is comprised of two crisscrossed bands whose ends form an open heart. Because of the versatile and comfortable design of the ring, it can be worn in many different ways. The wearer may choose to show either the heart or crisscross shape facing up depending on how they want to accessorize their look, either with soft curves or with clean and modern angles. Even the heart shape, when worn facing up, can be put on with the point toward or away from the wearer. Just like an Irish Claddagh ring whose heart shape represents love, the position of the ring can symbolize the wearer’s relationship status: pointed out toward fingertips means “looking for love,” while pointed in towards wrist means “in love.”

I am very proud of my Longview Leaf Two-Piece Charm design. My two-piece charms each have a top and bottom design that are both the same shape (circle, oval, heart), so they are perfectly aligned when one piece is on top of the other. The top piece of this particular two-piece charm is the Longview Leaf, which is also in my logo design. When I created the Leaf, I superimposed it over a yin yang so the design would benefit from the balance of positive and negative space inherent in that shape. I also wanted it to evoke various other symbols, including leaves, hearts, and fleurons. The bottom is a stylized yin yang design and can be hand enameled with any color, but I most often choose an emerald jewel tone, which holds several meanings as May’s birthstone, a color that is commonly associated with nature, and one of the main colors I use with Longview Jewelry. We donate 10% of the proceeds from the sale of this charm to the Arbor Day Foundation.

Which of your projects was the most time-consuming/challenging and why?

Every design has forced me to learn how to use CAD software in a new way to achieve a desired shape or finish. For its simplistic and elegant look, the Longview Signature Ring was actually quite difficult to get just right. From the unique crossed double band to the tapered open-heart shape, everything was built from scratch and then had to be modeled five separate times for each of the sizes and band thicknesses.

What are some of your dream projects?

I look forward to the day when 3D printers and materials have advanced to the point where they are as accurate and affordable as the current casting method for production. I feel that customization is becoming increasingly important to today’s consumers and will continue to be a driving force in the marketplace. I am excited for a time when I can produce unique, made-to-order jewelry pieces on demand with this technology.

What serves as your inspiration on a day-to-day basis?

I would like to think that I’ve always been a pretty optimistic person, and I feel that comes from being raised and surrounded by great people. First and foremost, I couldn’t stay positive without emotional support from my husband; he always spurs me on to be my best self. I also look to my amazing family and friends for examples of how to live mindfully, have patience, be kind and accepting, and work diligently and with integrity. It’s the constant reminder of these values coming from the important people in my life that keeps me focused on my goals as a creative entrepreneur day in and day out.

Which artists/designers would you say you share a vision with?

I have always felt that one of the most beautiful periods in art history was Art Nouveau. From Mucha to Privat-Livemont, Tiffany to Lalique, I am moved by the natural and feminine subjects, unique materials, Japanese art influence, and soft lines and forms from that time. As far as artistic vision and forward thinking, I am one of the masses who has fallen for Walter Elias Disney. Every story I hear about him reaffirms my love for the brand and characters he created. One theme park Imagineering concept I think about when I create my jewelry is actually a filmmaking technique. When you experience a Disney park, you are completely immersed in a fantasy world. Imagineers design each element of the park to draw you into the story they are telling by utilizing camera angle concepts: the long shot, medium shot, and close up. In the same way, when I make my pieces, I think about how my jewelry will look on the wearer from afar (colors and shapes), how it will appear at a conversational distance (design), and finally that “ah ha!” discovery moment when you’re looking at the jewelry up close and you see fine details and symbols you couldn’t see before that give it new meaning.

What style/form of jewelry is your favorite to create?

I really have fun designing my Petite Pieces Charms. Each piece is molded completely in the round so that you can see the design from all sides. I enjoy making pieces that interact together like the Secret Key and Antique Lock charms – I designed the keyhole in the lock to be the exact size for the key charm to fit into. The Elegant Tiara, which was partly inspired by one of the Miss Universe crowns, is a complete miniature tiara, with each side being a unique shape based on its design.

Future goals/plans?

I would like to bring my designs to more people in Central Florida and beyond. I am looking for more places to showcase my pieces, including boutiques and stores, shows and festivals. I would also like to collaborate with other local organizations to help promote their brand in a way that’s unique and wearable. Additionally, I hope to double our donation to the Arbor Day Foundation this year through sales of my Longview Leaf Two-Piece Charm.

For those interested, Longview Jewelry’s designs are currently available through www.longviewjewelry.com. Art and jewelry enthusiasts alike can stay current on Longview’s upcoming events and designs through social media: @longviewjewelry.

NOMINATE AN ARTIST

We are looking for interesting artists who live in the Nonahood to be featured.  If you or someone you know should be nominated to be a Nonahood News Featured Artist, send your nomination to http://nonahood.to/artist.