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Talisman in the Wild: Summer 2024 Edition

Rule Gallery co-owner Valerie Santerli in the Growth Necklace on a silk cord, during our pop-up event at the gallery March 9th

It brings me so much joy to see my clients out in the wild, wearing their Talisman Fine Jewelry heirloom pieces. Not to mention the fun of seeing how everyone styles their jewelry differently - some with creative takes on pairing or placement that I never would have thought of! Hence the inspiration to start a new series on this here blog, which I will call Talisman in the Wild.

Today’s roundup for Talisman in the Wild includes friends and clients from recent spring trunk shows and events around town. I may have even thrown in a couple on-the-fly shots of me as I was out and about ;)

Anthony Duran in Talisman Fine Jewelry’s handmade Anchored Chain and the Delphi Ear Cuff at Rule Gallery

Fort Collins’ Tula Boutique staff models the Linear Threader earring at our March trunk show

Ashe Bowen rocking the Metanoia Chain and the Yin Yang Necklace at an event at Lowrider shop in Longmont, CO.

Me, en route to an Austin trunk show, wearing the Helix Hoops, Anchored Handmade Chain, and the Held Necklace.

MAX clothing stores’ own Annie Gutsch in her Skinny Flow Chain, which layers perfectly with her existing stack.

Caught a glimpse of master hairstylist Matthew Morris’ one-of-a-kind wedding band, which I custom made in varying versions for both he and his fiance. These hands were soon after busy working, chopping my hair into a new blunt cut!

Spotted at Fine Art Fruit in Portland, Oregon: Taeko Designs’ Corey in her Talisman Fine Jewelry Ouroboros thumb ring.

Also spotted at Fine Art Fruit in Portland: Saint Clair’s Scissors designer Emily Sinclair wearing her new Protective Eye Y Necklace! Such a powerful stack of necklaces.

Gussied up for a trunk show, wearing the Freyja Necklace and the Metanoia Chain, along with Helix Hoops, Delphi Ear Cuff, Infinite Huggie Hoops and Diamond Mini Orb Stud.

MAX Summer 24 Lookbook with Talisman Fine Jewelry

Max clothing stores and talisman fine jewelry san miguel de allende — Models Karen Vega and Zentyatze Echeverria photographed by Eugenia Tinajero for MAX clothing stores

Recently my friends at MAX clothing stores had the enviable task of photographing their summer 2024 lookbook down in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Max, the man behind the boutique, lives there part time, and has a bevy of models, photographers, and other contacts at his disposal in the area. I was lucky enough that they wanted to include Talisman in this season’s shoot (good timing, since we’re about to drop a major delivery to their Cherry Creek Denver location!), and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Shot at Casa Coa, a private residence by designers Maye Ruiz and Daniel Valero, with photographer Eugenia Tinajero, and models Karen Vega, Zentyatze Echeverria and Isabella Rochin, the elements of this shoot came together to produce a dream in deep jewel tones and rich textures, that speak to the centuries-old history of the city. Pardon me while I daydream about lounging in the heat of a San Miguel summer amidst this stunning locale. Peep below for more sneak peeks from this gorgeous shoot, featuring Talisman’s Sanguine Drop Earrings, Ra Pinky Signet, and Helix Hoops. Special thanks to Mecla Soyer and buyer Julie for bringing the jewels across the border ;)

talisman fine jewelry available at max clothing stores

the ra signet photographed by max clothing stores

sanguine drop earrings photographed by max clothing stores

max clothing stores summer 2024 photoshoot

For Your Ears: Summer 2024 Playlist

Dunno about you, but these warmer temps are calling me to the dance floor (or, at least the dance floor of my studio lol). I came up with a little playlist for you accordingly, filled with summer-y, joyful jams that include African psych, house, synth rock, disco, and more…

While visiting Portland recently, I happened to stumble upon the absolute gem that is Passenger Seat Records. Some groovy beats down a hallway and around the corner from Proud Mary coffee called to me, and I had to follow. Inside was one of the most well-curated record shops I’ve seen to date. The owner was a super friendly lad who had plenty of reccos for me, and I’ve added a few of those tracks here too. Enjoy!

Talisman is Headed to Portland OR

I’m so thrilled to be coming back to visit my former home, and the place where Talisman as we now know it really blossomed: Portland, Oregon. I’ve missed you Portland! I’ll be making two stops on this trip, at two of my absolute favorite PDX retailers:

Thursday, May 9th @ Fine Art Fruit - join me + four other designers (including the owners of this inimitable shop!) for the first installation of “Fruit Snacks,” a pop-up series for independent artisans. Fine Art Fruit is a new shop in the NW area of the city that has, quite literally, the coolest curation of handmade designer wares. Come see for yourself from 2-7pm!

Saturday, May 11th @ Seven Sisters - celebrate Mother’s Day with a selection of highly-giftable 14k jewelry for her (or you!), plus chocolates by Missionary Chocolate PDX. Between the two, we’ve got you covered for your Mother’s Day gifts. I’ll be at Seven Sisters from 12-5pm with all my best Talisman wares, so please stop by!

SS24 Trunk Show with Good Company Austin

Join Talisman Fine Jewelry and my favorite Austin retailer, Good Company, for a trunk show featuring alllll the new SS24 goodness. I’ll be spending a day at each of their two locations, as follows:

Friday, April 26th @ Good Company on 12th St

Saturday April 27th @ Good Company on S. Congress

I love my Texas fam so much, I hope to see you all there!

Recycle Your Old Gold Into Something You Love

A friendly reminder/PSA, since these messages can sometimes get lost in the fray: Talisman will take your old scrap gold - family baubles that don’t fit your taste (or quite literally don’t fit), that necklace your ex gave you, etc etc - and turn it into something you love. Many jewelers can’t offer this because it’s actually not as simple a process as you’d think. Simply melting down antique gold jewelry can lead to brittle and unstable castings. However, I am lucky to have a connection to a very kind refiner who will take our little bits of 10k, 14k and 18k gold and give us the same gold back, refined and ready to reuse. This is important to many of my customers, who wish to retain the energy of the original heirloom piece. I, for one, am a big believer that gold retains the energy of the wearer within it - it is, after all, one of the best conducting elements we know of. So why not recycle that gold that’s sitting in your jewelry box, and turn it into a piece you will wear every day again?

SS24 Trunk Show with Tula Boutique

Fort Collins friends! Did you know that Talisman can now be found at Tula boutique? I’ll be there in the flesh this Thursday, with the full SS24 collection in tow. Please join us - there will be champagne, good vibes, and lots of gold to peruse (obviously).

Thursday, March 21st

12-6pm

@ Tula boutique - 1 Old Town Square, Suite 105, Fort Collins, CO

For Your Ears: Talisman SS24 Playlist

You know I love a good playlist! For those curious about what I’ve been listening to here at the studio as I work on your orders, I’ve conveniently rounded it all up into one handy-dandy bitesize set. Overall it’s a lowkey vibe, made for lounging hard, but don’t be fooled - there are some thumping dance numbers thrown in for good measure too. Think atmospheric electronic, psychedelic jazz (hey, I’m getting old, ok?), a little hip hop, and some of what I consider to be the classics… Yunno, Tom Tom Club, 90s era Air… Speaking of, did you hear that for the first time in almost a decade, the band Air is going on tour?! I, for one, cannot wait. Maybe I’ll catch you there. Until then, I hope you enjoy what I made below <3

Talisman Fine Jewelry SS24 Launch at Rule Gallery

Join Talisman and the incredible woodworking artist (and dear friend) Cornelia Max for a one-day pop-up at Rule Gallery in Denver, coinciding with the closing of their show “The Unusual Suspects,” featuring Amber Cobb and Joe Clower.

Saturday, March 9th

12-5pm

@ Rule Gallery - 808 Santa Fe Drive in Denver

BTS at the Spring/Summer 2024 Lookbook Shoot

Shooting outside of Charles Haertling’s 1960s “Boulder Eye Clinic” building with Matt Nager and Erika Rodriguez

Ideating on our SS24 campaign concept left me searching yet again for the perfect 1960s/1970s “bubble structure” for a location. I guess it’s a thing for Talisman. Luckily architect Charles Haertling left us with plenty of options in the Boulder area, and we were fortunate to have some connections (thanks Erica Simon!) to his iconic “Boulder Eye Clinic” building on Broadway. What I especially love about this building is the way its sculptural curves mimic the sculptural nature of Talisman’s jewelry. They seemed to be in conversation throughout our shoot, though this wasn’t the only storyline we had going…

Working with my trusty photographer Matt Nager, and our model Erika Rodriguez from Wilhelmina, we reimagined the office building as a crash landed space ship of sorts, with Erika graciously playing the part of our extraterrestrial being… decked out in lots of gold, of course. The result was, dare I say, otherworldly (ha).

Special shout outs are due to my friend Katie Miner, who helped me with styling day-of, as well as to Max clothing stores, Recital boutique, Common Threads Boulder, and COS for wardrobe.

Fun BTS fact: there was an active chiropractor’s office behind this mirrored window. Luckily they didn’t protest us shooting outside. Thanks guys!

Peep some behind-the-scenes footage of this super fun shoot, and then check out our final product here, along with all the newly released SS24 designs!

The jewels

Happy New Year and a Tiny Sneak Peek

The sky at Boyce Thompson Arboretum outside of Phoenix, AZ. Taken December 2023. A sign of shapes to come?

Well friends, this new year did not exactly start off with the bang I was expecting. First it was 2 weeks of Covid starting NYE, then it was getting trapped in the mountains for 5 days due to avalanches shutting down all outgoing roads, and then even a day of jury duty on top of it… it seems the universe has been telling (forcing?) me something, and I have no option but to acquiesce. So we’re getting a bit of a late start over here, but - as I am oftentimes wont to say - the journey is not always linear. Which funny enough, was a theme that repeatedly seemed to come up in my new SS24 sketches that I began working on this December. The spiral - a symbol of growth, the journey of life, and also a representation of the sacred geometry that underlies nature - is a favorite of mine, and found its way into my work once again. That, along with themes of death and rebirth, abound. So I’ll give you a little sneak peek of what I’ve been working on, now that I’m finally (hopefully?) back at my bench once again. There will still be some surprises, though, to be sure. Stay tuned as these hand-sculpted wax models turn into solid gold…

The Growth Necklace, in process as a wax carving. Originally inspired by some small shell remnants I found in Florida last year (thanks Jill!).

A wedding band to symbolize the journey and growth of two souls intertwined - unofficially called Danielle’s Band.

Beginnings of the Christ Consciousness Necklace. Who better to represent the concept of rebirth than the man Jesus himself?

Zoe’s Heart Necklace. This one was personal - for my beloved dog Zoe who passed away last August. To be worn as a reminder that those you love will always be in your heart, and to have a little piece of their love with you.

Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide 2023

We see you, procrastinators, and we are here for you. While the deadline to receive any made-to-order items in time for Xmas has passed, there’s still a slew of goodies on the website that are in-stock and ready-to-ship. Here’s a roundup of some of my personal favs, which are guaranteed to please even the pickiest of folk.

The Conjunct Ring was a new addition this season, and I love its ergonomic, fluid asymmetry. It’s wonderful alone, but also works well in a stack, which makes it an easy gift for those who like to add to their collection of stacked bands.

Hands-down, a shimmering gold herringbone chain looks elegant draped over a bare collarbone. While I love the full-size and mid-size versions too, the Skinny Flow Chain is a perfect everyday piece that adds a lovely amount of shine to your look without being over the top, even at the gym. Also perfect layered with multiple necklaces, making it a no-brainer gift.

These are, in all honesty, my everyday earrings. The Aphrodite Hugs are comfortable enough to leave in for weeks on end, but statement-making enough to make me feel dressed up in just a t-shirt and jeans. I just love them, and I think your recipient will too.

You literally cannot go wrong with bar studs. Everyone needs a pair - they’re easy, great for multiple piercings, and convey a certain sense of geometric, minimalist elegance. The Petite Linear Stud is my latest version for FW23, in a slightly more micro size than its full-size Linear Stud sibling. An excellent choice for anyone on a budget who still prefers to gift heirloom-quality pieces.

The Orbit Bracelet is another newbie for FW23, and has already been wildly popular. The interlocking hook clasp means it stays securely on the wrist, and I find that many like to leave it on, and/or stack it with their existing arm candy. It’s truly the perfect everyday bracelet.

A budget-friendly no-brainer, the Infinite Hoops are a fool-proof gift option in heirloom-quality 14k gold. Wearers can leave these puppies in for months and never take them out. Pro tip for those with multiple piercings: stack with the mid-size and huggie versions ascending up the earlobe for an ultra 90s punk look.

Last but definitely not least, I decided to make one of my personal favorites - the Held Necklace - for last-minute holiday gifting. Juuuuust in case the one you love has been really deserving this year. This piece is all about being reminded that the universe is always holding us, through all the trials and tribulations. What better year to have a reminder of that, no?

Austin Trunk Show with Good Company

We’re back with our favorite Austinites: the aptly-named Good Company shop, of course. This is the last opportunity of the year to shop Talisman IRL, and I’ll have OOAK pieces, brand new items, and all the best-sellers. If you’re in the Austin, Texas area, please come see us:

Friday, December 15th, 11am - 6pm @ Good Company on 12th Street

Saturday, December 16th, 11am - 6pm @ Good Company on South Congress

For Your Ears: Holiday in the Desert

Where abouts are you headed this holiday season? Why not come with me (sonically, at least) as I head to Phoenix, and lounge fireside in the Sonoran Desert. I’ve got a soundscape to bring you there, that’s giving modern latin ambiance, midcentury flute and contemporary jazz, atmospheric psych, and just a small dash of campy Christmas songs to set the vibe. Happy holidays!

Field Trip: LA

The centerpiece of “Queen Califia’s Magical Circle” by artist Niki de Saint Phalle - Queen Califia herself atop her griffin.

This October I had the opportunity to spend some time in Los Angeles - a town that was at one time my home, many moons ago. The trip was equal parts vacation, inspiration, and work. Joined by a couple of my besties who live in the area, I made the most of my 9 days there with a busy schedule of art, beach, nature hikes, architecture, music and more.

Among many things, I had the chance to view the opening of my friend Tomashi Jackson’s art show “Minute by Minute” at Night Gallery, which incorporated hand-embroidered and tatted textiles made by my own grandmother, Carrie Barcus, which I had gifted to the artist. Truly a special moment to see these complex, multi-layered (quite literally and figuratively), collaged works in person - they are POWERFUL! I could feel my grandmother’s utter awe and delight raining down on that gallery as well. You can read more about Tomashi’s show in this wonderful LA Times interview.

A piece from Tomashi Jackson’s “Minute by Minute,” which incorporated hand embroidery by my grandmother as the foundation for her canvas

Detail of hand tatting done by my grandmother Carrie Barcus, used in Tomashi Jackson’s piece

Another work by Tomashi Jackson in “Minute by Minute” at Night Gallery. This incorporates Carrie’s embroidery, as well as Tomashi’s mother’s photography, and the shapes of redlined districts in LA.

Tomashi Jackson’s piece, incorporating photography from her mother, and my grandmother’s embroidery at the bottom edge.

There is a wildly coincidental story from the day when I gifted Tomashi this textile… as we were chatting about my goldsmithing work and Tomashi’s collection of gold chains, we noticed that the edge of this pillowcase read “Cloth of Gold.” Funny how life works! I love that Tomashi then incorporated gold paint into the piece, as well as another piece that utilized Grandma Carrie’s handiwork.

Tomashi in the midst of performance art at Night Gallery

I also made a pilgrimage with my dear friend Tamara, to see my hero Niki de Saint Phalle’s installation “Queen Califia’s Magical Circle” in Escondido - one of the few existing sites of her art in the US. Magical indeed! I cannot even fathom the amount of time it took to cover this entire area in mosaics - much of which was made from semiprecious gemstones! The docent at the site told us that Niki and her team went to the Tucson gem show to buy the stones. I imagine they must have cleared out a lot of dealers’ bins to make this work!

A view of Queen Califia’s Magical Circle

Fragmented selfie at Queen Califia’s Magical Circle

Detail from Queen Califia’s Magical Circle, with mosaic malachite and what looks to be chrysoprase

There were so many details to discover around every turn at Queen Califia’s Magical Circle. Each one tells a story.

Back in LA proper, I had the chance to visit the Neutra VDL House in Silverlake with my friend Symantha. This onetime home and studio of architect Richard Neutra is a place I’ve long wanted to see in person, as a huge fan of mid-century modernism and Neutra in particular. Neutra shares a particular history with my mother’s lineage, who were Austrian Jews. While it may not seem so unusual today, the fact that the original structure for this building was made in 1932 is pretty mind-blowing.

Living room at the Neutra VDL House in Silverlake

Details at the Neutra VDL House - this color palette echoes my recent FW23 lookbook

Last but not least, the trip was capped off by a trunk show at the beautiful Kinship Station boutique in Topanga. I loved hanging with the shop staff, and getting to know their customers more. They’ve got such a gorgeous curation of decor, clothing and jewelry - definitely worth a visit.

Talisman jewels at Kinship Station in Topanga

Symantha and her mug at Kinship Station - a beautifully curated boutique of decor, clothing, jewelry and more

Shopgirl Nadia dons the Ra Signet at the Kinship Station trunk show

That’s a wrap! Until next time LA <3

For Your Ears: Talisman FW23 Playlist

Coming in hot with a little taste of the latest and greatest in music that I’ve been jamming out to while I work in the studio this season… In the true spirit of fall, this playlist is a little moodier, and a little more introverted - perfect for a cozy night in, or a chilly, bundled-up evening out. As per usual, a mashup of rock, synth pop, shoegaze, and electronic, along with some purely vibey, instrumental tracks thrown in. Enjoy!

Pop-Up Holiday Market at Cherry Hills Country Club

Hard to believe it’s already “that time of year” again, but here we are, first snowstorm and all! I’m thrilled to be participating in a Holiday Pop-Up Market at the Cherry Hills Country Club, hosted by Helm Weaver Helm, benefitting the Alzheimer’s Association. This market will have a wide assortment of giftable, artisan goods, including handmade heirloom jewels from yours truly. 10% of our sales will go to Alzheimer’s research. Details are as follows:

Wednesday, November 29th

1-6pm

Free and open to all - not just members of the club!

Please help spread the word, and invite friends… I hope to see all my Denver folks there! Please also note there is a dress code at the country club, and no blue jeans are permitted.

XX,

Vanessa

Custom Work: Engagement Rings for Matthew and Orlando

Nearly finished rings, just before I added a brushed texture

Custom work is a big part of what I do here at Talisman Fine Jewelry. And there are few things that are quite so special as making commitment rings for a couple… something they’ll wear for a lifetime, day in and day out. It’s always an honor when someone asks me to create such a piece. So suffice it to say, when my friend Matthew asked if I would help make dual engagement rings for he and his partner, I was over the moon. I also personally love the idea that both partners should get to wear an engagement ring… why not?? It’s 2023, and we can make our own rules!

On a personal note - Matthew and I have a long history of friendship, stemming from when we were backstage together at many a fashion show, where I would be doing wardrobe styling, while Matthew and his team did hair and makeup. Such fun memories. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Matthew’s partner Orlando a bit more since they became a couple, and couldn’t have been more overjoyed to hear that Matthew wanted to take it to the next level. What a wonderful duo they are!

So after much deliberating with Matthew on just what these important rings would look like (Traditional? Modern? We ran through the whole gamut of options…), funny enough, when Matthew slyly got Orlando’s thoughts on ring designs, we came full circle to the wabi sabi, organic look and feel that is really my specialty. Perfect.

Just after casting - the raw rings in sterling silver

I then got started creating the two rings in wax, which is indeed how much of my work begins. Each ring was one-of-a-kind, distinctly for its wearer, and yet definitely a pair. Then from there the rings went into casting - sterling silver, in this case. (Yes, I will do silver too upon request!)

After casting comes the intensive process of hand-sawing and grinding off any nubs and “sprues," and my (definitely neurotic) 10-step sanding and polishing process (after which we then brought them back to a brushed, “satin” finish). Voila!

Honestly, one of the hardest parts of this whole project was sitting on this major secret, waiting for Matthew to propose! It was such a treat to finally see the proposal online, while the couple was down in Santa Fe. Pure magic. I wish them all the love and blessings on their union <3

BTS at the Talisman FW23 Lookbook Photoshoot: The Evans School

An open, and mostly vacant, stairway at the Evans School building in Denver. Currently home to artists and creatives, for now.

Photographer Matt Nager and model Vanessa Luka getting a close-up ear shot at the Evans School studio of Sam Grabowska and Erin McAllister

Deciding on the location for Talisman’s next lookbook photoshoot is always an exciting creative challenge. Each season the look and feel of the brand is greatly influenced by our campaign concept, composition and color palette, and thus, by extension, where that campaign was shot. For FW23, the idea struck me to ask some artist friends about taking over their studio space at the Evans School in Denver for an afternoon… I had spent some time in this incredibly special, once-abandoned school building, and was immediately struck by the energy of the place. Having only recently been offered to a handful of artists for use as studio rentals, this glorious building - full of tall windows and insanely intricate copper railings - sat empty since the 1970s, quietly falling into decay just across the street from the Denver Art Museum. These days, however, the vibe at the Evans School is something else. Sculptors, painters, photographers and the like are using the classrooms - heck, even the old auditorium - to ideate, create and collaborate with one another. Tiny DIY galleries have popped up to showcase the work of folks making art next door. In my estimation, one of the most beautiful things about this space, aside from the building itself, seems to be the fact that there is a definite ambiance of - dare I use the cliched word - synergy and co-inspiration happening among the artists at work there.

Utilizing raw materials from artist Sam Grabowska’s sculpture work as a backdrop for Talisman’s new FW23 designs

None of the residents know how long this gem will last… word has it that the building may be purchased by developers to be remade into a luxury hotel in the near future. And, as sad as that may be (although it has the makings for a beautiful hotel, no doubt), somehow the limited-time aspect of the whole scene - this permeating feeling of uncertainty - lends it a bit of Chelsea Hotel-type magic. Something that is at once almost outside of time and space itself, and yet is entirely ephemeral. To be certain, it is a Time and a Place, in Denver, Colorado, 2023.

Knowing that the opportunity to do something in this magical space might be limited, then, it seemed that the time was right for a photoshoot there. The goal for the shoot, as far as I could see it, was simply to capture some of the magic that is happening behind closed doors at 1115 Acoma Street, and by extension, to delve into the raw materials and processes of some of the artists at play there. A statement, if you will, about how creative imagination can turn raw, even seemingly strange objects into entire worlds of beauty.

Matt Nager shoots a still life scene on Sam Grabowska’s desk. Styling and creative direction by myself, Vanessa Barcus.

Thankfully for Talisman, my dear friend Erin McAllister and her Evans School studio mate, Sam Grabowska, were happy to oblige. So my trusty photog Matt Nager and I were given access to their studio, and all of its gloriously weird objects and supplies. Erin is a fiber and textile artist who also paints on occasion. Her work is as vibrant and colorful and explosive as she is. Sam is a sculptor and multi-media artist whose highly-conceptual work speaks to themes of creating space, in both a literal and psychological sense, as well as themes of safety, trauma healing, and care. Through both artists we found a rich assortment of tactile, textural raw materials to use as a backdrop for Talisman’s latest designs. Another friend, Vanessa Luka, graciously lent her beautiful ears and hands to be photographed in what was otherwise a mostly still-life shoot.

Take a peek behind the scenes here of our day at the Evans School… In the near future, you may just see the scraps and materials we used in our photos come together in one of these two artists’ upcoming work.

Artist Erin McAllister shows us around the studio

XX,

Vanessa

Trunk Show with Kinship Station Topanga

Calling all LA friends!

Talisman will be saddling up with our friends at Kinship Station - a stunning boutique of decor, jewelry and other curiosities - for a trunk show in Topanga, CA.

Join us from 1-6pm on Saturday, October 7th at the shop: 106 S Topanga Canyon Blvd.

I’ll have a select assortment of stock you can take home with you, as well as the entire FW23 sample set to place orders from. Don’t miss this opportunity to have a peek at the jewels IRL, and say hello! Free hugs also offered upon request ;)