Glimpse of an Artisan: Being in the moment
I arrived early to the small cafe in midtown Buenos Aires. I was there to meet Jeanne, a Parisian artisan who is now living in Buenos Aires. I ordered my cafecito and waited, soaking in this place I had never been to before. Letting my mind wander, I remembered walking down the streets of San Telmo the Sunday before. Cobblestone streets beneath my feet and a crispness to the air only found during that time of year in September, when the weather shifts from winter to spring.
First Glimpse of the Artisan
San Telmo is one of Buenos Aires' oldest neighborhoods. It has played host to La Feria de San Telmo for a very long time. Every Sunday you can walk down Defensa, the fair's main street, to see a plethora of unique artisan made Argentinian relics. From handmade dolls to an assortment of antiques, there is no telling what you can find.
My friend Mariana and I had spent the day walking up and down and all around, checking out all the different artisan booths. The air smelled of choripan and throughout streets Tango music could be heard. Mariana was in the middle of a sentence when I grabbed her arm and dragged her over to one of the tables.
The display before me was beautiful- a design of artisan necklaces and earrings unlike anything I had ever seen. I purchased a few at the fair and asked the artisan if I could have her card, explaining a little about what I do. We exchanged information, thus bringing you full circle back to the cafe and my meeting with Jeanne.
The Artisan and her Story
She arrived a little early as well, kissing my check with her greeting of 'Hola! Como estas?' She ordered her drink of strawberry lemonade and we jumped right in. She being from France and me being from the United States, we communicated in the language we both knew, Spanish. I learned that her aunt and uncle have lived in Buenos Aires for many years, hence the reason for her very first visit to Argentina when she was younger.
She expressed what I always feel when I go back to Argentina. She said, "Something always draws me back here." I agreed with her completely. I too have always been drawn to Argentina. Something about the nature of the country brings me warmth and comfort. It has become my home away from home.
As we continued to talk, she told me the story of how Sesame&Orion all started. She was in Mendoza on a trip. Mendoza is in the eastern foothills of the Andes, near to Chile. While Jeanne was there for fun, she had a moment when inspiration struck. She was looking at the view that lay before her- admiring the mountains in all their beauty and color, when she expressed to herself of how she wanted to create something that captured this beauty, these colors that laid before her eyes.
She thought to herself, what could she create that others could also partake in and experience all the colors of this beautiful land? Thus was born what first was her vision for Sesame&Orion and what now has become her passion. She studied hard and came up with many prototypes of different forms throughout her journey of making what Sesame&Orion is today.
The Artisan and her Technique
Her technique is uniquely hers. She uses sheets of thin bronze and cuts each form by hand into these brilliant shapes, so flattering to any neckline or ear. She then wraps each one of those forms with satin ribbon to create this amazing texture that when the light hits it just right, it shimmers.
Her color formula is inspired by that of nature and the simple ways the light hits objects. For example, imagine a building with a blue wall and when the sun hits it just right, it creates a shadow from the building next to it, the blue cuts into a light and a dark- displaying two different shades of blue. She then takes those inspirations from what she sees and creates a color pallet for each of the seasons-fall, winter, spring and summer. Depending on what season best suits your skin tone, you can pick the the color combinations from that pallet.
I was fascinated by the way her vision came together to create these beautiful artisan earrings and necklaces. I am always amazed at what humans can create, if we take the time to really nurture that creative side of us. Jeanne was a true inspiration and someone who left a lasting impression on me.
What I learned from the Artisan
As our meeting came to a close and we said our goodbyes, I sat there reflecting on the brief, yet impactful meeting with Jeanne. Little did she know, but she had just taught me a lesson I will forever be grateful for. One I will never forget. The lesson was this...
Moments are what this life is made up of and if we take the time to slow down, to listen and see the colors of those moments, we can create beautiful things. We too can become artisans. We just have to be present in order to hear and see them, for they are all around us-tapping us on the shoulder, saying, 'Wake up and see my beauty! I have something amazing to show you, it lies right before your eyes. This is my gift to you!' All we have to do is reach out and take hold of it.
In this day and age, with everything around us happening so fast, I urge you to learn the lesson the artisan Jeanne so humbly taught me that day in the cafe- take a second to slow down and actually be present in life's moments. They have so many stories to tell you, so much beauty to relay, and so many gifts to give you. If you just take a breath and be here in this moment, you too will see the colors of this world in all their glory.
*Bronze form photo credit Sesame&Orion.
To shop her collection of beautiful jewelry, click the image below or here.
Follow Sesame&Orion on Facebook: @sesameorion
Follow Sesame&Orion on Instagram: @sesame_orion
If you would like to learn more about the culture and people behind the looks of Mariposa Skies' fashion checkout another artisan:
To connect to someone else's culture through the traditions of their fashion, you can also check out these fashions from Japan and Argentina:
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What can I say, darling, as a comment to this blog? I consider myself lucky to have met you and, by extension, access to all these lovely artists and their creations… I am not a fan of mass produced things– just not drawn to them and cannot quite put my finger on it– so imagine the feeling when I see earrings or cuffs that only a few may have in SD 😉 Thanks for sharing such lovely vignette!
Thank you Katia! Your words mean so much to me! I am so very grateful to have met you as well! It makes me so happy to meet people who are also aligned with the my mission on fashion. You nailed it on the head! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read and share your thoughts.
What a great story Katy. I love what you are sharing with our part of the world!
Thank you Peggy! I appreciate your encouraging words and taking the time to read this!
What a wonderful story. I love my job letting me go new places and see the beauty around me. Whether it’s majestic or simple yet sublime,
it is all around us. But for your friend to not only see it but to create her own beautiful things from it to share with others is amazing. And so are you for going out into the world to find it and bring it home for people who wouldn’t otherwise know it exists. Also liked your video on how to make a purse without sewing. I’m a guy so wouldn’t really need a purse, but if I should ever decide to ride the rails I could tie it to a pole and have a hobo knap-sack with style!
Thank you so much Sean! You are incredibly sweet for saying what you did. I think you should start writing a blog with the way you summed up my post- beautiful. And thank you for watching the video on the purse! I greatly appreciate your continuous support. Cheers to seeing the beauty all around us!