One of my motivations in creating Bow & Branch is to share designers, artisans, and small business owners that I’ve come across in my travels. So much of my creativity flows from my family’s experience living in Italy, so it feels appropriate that my first interview would be with one of my favorite artisans, Sara Amrhein. Sara is the owner of Sara Amrhein Firenze, a gorgeous contemporary jewelry shop and the co-founder of Creative People in Florence, a cultural association and international community of creatives.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sara when we lived in Florence, Italy in 2012. At the time, she was teaching an art class and opening her first shop. Sara was one of the first people that I met in Florence, and her kindness, warmth, and genuine, good-natured spirit left such a positive impression on me, that when I came up with the idea to share the “good stuff” that people are doing, she was the first person that came to mind. I have admired her jewelry for years, and I think so many of you will too. She creates the most spectacular statement pieces out of polymer clay and semi-precious stones, crystals, or glass.
Let’s start at the beginning. We met at Little Artists Firenze. At what age did you catch the artistic bug?
I can’t really say for sure. I’ve been interested in making things for as long as I can remember. My mother is a very creative person, and when I was very young she had a bakery in our house where she made and decorated cakes and gingerbread houses. She also loved to wrap gifts that were so beautiful you were almost sorry to open them. She later went on to become a sales rep for sticker, gift-wrap, rubber stamp, and paper companies- every little girl’s dream! I always had materials around me to play with and she always encouraged me to do so.
I guess you could say that art has always been part of my life. When I was 19, I made my first pieces of jewelry, a few of which my mother still wears today! I would sell them to friends and co-workers, which is how this practice all began. I took a break from jewelry making for a while to study art history and fine art, painting and sculpture, but I eventually came back to it.
You studied at Arts Center College of Design in Los Angeles. What made you want to go to art school?
I first studied Art History with a focus on the Italian Renaissance and absolutely loved it, but I always felt like I was missing something, which is the tactile interaction with art and the part of art that makes me most happy. I decided that I didn’t just want to study other people’s work, but that I also wanted to create my own. To me, going to art school seemed very natural. Arts Center College of Design has a great reputation and is known for being a hard school to get into, so I wanted to challenge myself by applying there. Thankfully, I got accepted. Phew!
How did learning in LA affect your design style and aesthetic?
L.A. is all over my work even if it’s not immediately noticeable. Southern California is bright and colorful; the sun is always shining and everything seems new. This generally makes people happy most of the time (unless of course they’re sitting in traffic). L.A. also has a great contemporary art scene that tends to focus on color and the use of non-traditional materials; things that are definitely present in my work. There are some great L.A. artists that have always inspired me like Lari Pittman, Carole Caroompas, Tom Knechtel, and John Millei to name a few. I love their use of color, texture, and layers. The collage element, with the mixing of materials and techniques, is also present in my work. I always want to keep that element in the pieces that I create because it’s such a big part of who I am and helps me feel closer to home, in its own way. I definitely see what I do as a form of sculpture or as a collage before I see it as jewelry.
Why jewelry? What inspired you to become not just an artist but also the creator of such incredibly original, special jewelry?
Jewelry is something that has always been a constant in my life. My Aunt, who is now 94 years-old (yes, she’s my mother’s sister and they are 23 years apart!), was always- and still is- a very fashionable lady! She was a young woman in NYC in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s, back when things were handcrafted and impeccably made. She had an accessories collection that was to die for: hat boxes in the closet, drawers lined with gloves of every color, and TONS of jewelry! That was always my favorite part. She would let my sister and I play dress-up when we came over, which is where my obsession with jewelry came from. I really want to make pieces that make people feel special when they wear them and that have that handcrafted, high-quality element to them. Since I am trained as an artist and not a jewelry designer, I want the artistic side to be the main component of my pieces. When I make them, it feels more to me like I am sculpting and painting than anything else, and I don’t ever want to lose that aspect of the work. I guess this is what separates my pieces from more traditional styles of jewelry.
Personally, I love hearing about how people wound up where they are- particularly when they live so far from where they grew up. How did you wind up in Florence, and what’s kept you there?
I originally came to Florence on a study abroad trip, which led me to meet the man who is now my husband. I went back to California at the end of the trip and he then came to visit me. When he left, we knew that we had to give this thing a real try, so that’s when I decided to move to Florence permanently and wait to see what happens. When I got here, things just seemed to fall into place and work themselves out. Eighteen years later we’re still together. Over the years there have been times when we’ve discussed the idea of moving back to the US, but somehow a new opportunity has always presented itself in those moments. It’s as if Florence won’t let me go; Italy can be difficult at times to live in, but somehow this city has always given me what I need.
You’re based in Florence, Italy, and are the only polymer clay jewelry studio in the city. From what I’ve witnessed, being an artisan in Florence is extremely competitive. When we lived there, we were so shocked at how quickly popularity of artists ebbed and flowed. What gave you the courage to open your shop, and what do you think has made you so successful?
That’s actually a really great observation and question, but I think the answer is actually pretty simple. Florence is an incredibly small city, and when a buzz starts, it tends to spread relatively quickly. I think that it can be extremely competitive when there are a lot of artists focusing on the same traditional techniques and styles. Unfortunately, I think that artists everywhere, not just in Florence, tend to get comfortable when things go well. They don’t realize that they have to continue coming up with new ideas. It’s certainly not easy- sometimes even I feel like all my ideas are used up- but to stay relevant, it’s important to keep coming up with new work. As for opening the store, it wasn’t so much a matter of courage, as much as it was knowing that it was what I needed to do because if I didn’t try, I would never know if it was going to work. I think the one thing that has helped me succeed at making a living as an artist is that I have always promised myself that I would be myself- that I would not try and do what other artists are doing. I suppose the material itself also helps me to stand out, since it’s not something you see all over the city. I think people really notice it. It gets them to stop and look and eventually walk in through the door. The first question I usually get is, “what is the jewelry made out of?”, which definitely lets me know that people are curious and also gives me the opportunity to explain the materials and the process. I am able to start a conversation with a lot more people this way.
Florence a gorgeous, inspiring city, and it has a great support network for artists. What advice do you have for a hopeful artist getting started in a city like Florence?
I think my advice for all artists everywhere would be: don’t expect success to happen overnight. It takes a really long time. It’s like any other career: you have to build a reputation, develop your style, do lots of networking, and more than anything, you have to prove yourself. I know it may sound cliché to say that, but nothing could be more true. In Italy, everything takes twice as long, so be patient and don’t give up. I think too many artists give up too quickly. In the beginning, you will hear the word ‘no’ a lot, so get used to it, grow a thick skin, but what ever you do, keep going. In Florence, my advice is to become part of the local community, get to know as many artists as possible, ask them if you can intern, or apprentice with them. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t using the same medium as you are. If they are artists making a living off of their work, you should listen to them and learn from them. When you are an emerging artist, everyone has something to teach you. The last piece of advice that I would give is to collaborate and share your skills with fellow artists and designers. My business has grown exponentially since I began collaborating with other artists and designers.
You’re the co-creator and organizer for Creative People in Florence. This doesn’t surprise me, as one of the things that has stayed with me since I’ve met you, is how open and supportive you are to everyone around you. For others that are inspired by Creative People in Florence, do you have any guidance for those trying to collaborate, support, network, and/or encourage fellow artists?
Wow! What an incredibly nice thing to say. Thank you Cara! I would say that if you are looking to collaborate- which I am totally for- make sure to get the word out there and find other people who are at the same point in their artistic career as you are, then find ways to share your skills and help each other. If you need photos of your work but can’t afford them, find a photographer who is looking to build their portfolio. Work together, so that every body wins! If you want someone to talk to who understands the creative process, find a great café, invite other creative people for a coffee, and start a discussion. Otherwise, bring a group of people to artists’ studios in your area to learn more about their process. Not only will you help each other grow professionally, you will also inspire each other and likely leave with new ideas you would have never otherwise thought of. Creative People in Florence, the community, and the network that was created here are the reasons why I have been able to grow the way I have. When you support your community, it supports you back, so get out there!
I absolutely love your jewelry, and have stalked, “ahem”, followed your progress for a while now. Do you ship internationally?
Thank you. Yes, Absolutely! I also do custom orders and take special requests.
Lastly, I would love it if you’d pretend you’re speaking to your eight-year old self again. What would you say?
Oh Wow! Haha….well, my 8 year-old self didn’t have much fear. She was quite the inventor of stories and dance performances…sometimes in front of the whole school, but I would tell her, “When you get a bit older, you are going to become self-conscious. You are going to try to fit in with the crowd and all the other girls, but don’t do it. Don’t change who you are to try to get people to like you. Just keep being you and don’t let anyone try to put out your fire.”
Thank you for being such an inspiring woman and artist.
Thank you for seeing me that way! It’s incredibly humbling. I hope to continue to grow in my own work and help to support others who are working on theirs.
**All photo credits to Olga Makarova