We were lucky to catch up with Irene Page recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Irene thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
To be an artist and a vintage dealer at a later age definitely had me questioning its sustainability. However, this is a journey I chose for myself for my own contentment.
An artist is who I am. I think I have always known that. However, it took me many years to find the true medium for my self expression as an artist. Silversmithing came to me during the time I I felt I was at my lowest as a creative being. It started out as my outlet for myself. After a year of honing and making treasures, I started to offer it to the public. It has been over 4 years since then. During quarantine due to Covid-19, this craft not only supported me mentally and emotionally, but it also helped financially for my family. It was during this time when I knew that I was finally at “HOME” with this craft. An emotional feeling I didn’t feel during the time I was doing other artistic mediums. Silversmithing has challenged my creativity, my patience and yet it has also helped me realize that it empowers me as individual.
Becoming a vintage dealer came around about the same time when I found silversmithing. This was influenced by son who we used to drive to thrift stores to get his vintage treasures. As we experienced thrifting as a family, I found myself finding my own treasures. I gravitate towards the 70’s, so I was excited when I found clothes from that era. As I found more, I decided to sell sporadically on Instagram. Not until over 1 year ago that started to get serious with it and started selling at markets. I initially loved the vintage pieces for the fun fashion/style they present to me. As time passed, I have learned that these clothes really do need to be shown and worn, not only for the fashion purposes but also for the environment.
What was the risk in both? I decided to leave my career as a health care provider one year ago. The opportunity presented itself and I took the plunge. Is it worth it? To be able to do what I am passionate about YES, it’s worth it. Is it sustainable? I am still working on that process. Is it scary? There are definitely ups and downs, inconsistencies with these paths I have chosen. But, I always have to remind myself that these paths have been what I have been wishing for. To work as an artist. The vintage aspect is the icing on the cake. To be CONTENT within myself is what I have been striving for and I have these two outlets that helps me with that life process.
Irene, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
About Me:
Had I known then, what I know now, I wouldn’t have gone for a degree in Human Resources and I wouldn’t have gone back to school to get a second degree as a Health Care provider. I would have been in the arts. However, I had to go through those experiences to get to where I am now and to be at the mind set I am in now. Ohhhh, to call myself an Artist is a good feeling. It defines me and it is what I identified with along with being a mother, a wife and a sister. Silversmithing has shown me to have the confidence to say that about myself. A vintage dealer. Well, I am that too! To be able to curate vintage pieces from the past that have amazing prints and colors that can uplift mine and someone’s emotion is a validation, that I may be on the right path.
The jewelry I create are hand made from sterling silver and turquoise. My garage is my studio where all the treasures are made. I am a one woman show. I source the turquoise cabochons from the lapidarists themselves. I am partly class taught and mostly self taught. I do have other silversmiths who support me with my questions about the craft. I am thankful to be socially connected with some veterans of the craft to help me out. I watched a lot of you Youtube tutorials in the beginning and treated it like a class where I took notes. Youtube is still my go to to help me with projects. My pieces are mostly big, some people have called it “it’s not for the shy”. My pieces are influenced by medieval, gladiator, Game of Thrones, king and queen esthetic. Maybe one day a costumer from a movie as such will reach out to me to have my pieces as part of the wardrobe for the film. Dreaming (I am all smiles). I love making big pieces, but I do make small treasures as well. My pieces empower me to DO me and I do hope they empower those who owns or sees my pieces, as well.
On the vintage realm, I love colors so that is what you will find in my shop. In my shop you will find pieces from the 50’s to the 80’s. I gravitate towards the 70’s, therefore you will find a lot of that style in the shop. Polyester, psychedelic dagger collars, bellbottoms, jumpsuits, sets, novelty prints etc. All of which are my weakness. I clean, wash and mend the clothes myself before I offer them for sale. So the process can be lengthy.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is the feeling of CONTENTMENT within oneself and you feel whole as an individual. I feel that this is an ongoing life process. As one manifest their passion, the process to reaching one’s contentment starts. Notice I didn’t say HAPPY. For me feeling happy is temporary and contentment is deeper. For me contentment is something you feel deep into your core that even words cannot explain the elation it makes you feel. It stays with you, it helps define you. This is a process that I have gone through the last couple of years. There are times when I feel that my contentment is challenged (such as life) and I have to work through my process to nurture my contentment. Definitely a process.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
We (artists/creatives, small businesses) are always willing to educate our consumers on what we offer. One best way to support us is to understand the process of how our pieces are processed or produced. Ask questions. Although certain questions may not be answered as to protect our businesses. Please don’t be offended when this happens. Our prices reflect our time, labor, materials, expenses, gas, knowledge, craftsmanship, quality, etc. In case you are wondering why we price the way we do. We take pride in our work and we love sharing them with the masses. The public can support us on our social medias, following our websites, adding our websites to your favorites, getting on our e-mail list and of course sales! We internally or sometimes literally do a happy dance with the sales we make. Talk about us with your friends! Help us spread the word about US! And if your are already doing these, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.notforgottenclothes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notforgottenclothes
- Other: https://www.
silvershineodyssey.com/