Meet the Market

17, Jan, 2012 Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy

The Greenway Open Market is now accepting vendor applications for the 2012 season.  As we anticipate the return of this vibrant Saturday market, its talented artisans and their handmade wares, we will feature interviews with a few of the vendors you can expect to see back on the Greenway this summer.

Market: Greenway Open Market (Saturdays, Wharf District Parks)
Name/Vendor: Rebecca and Cameron Stern for Stern Design Works
Art/Craft: Jewelry

Cameron and Rebecca Stern Design Works

Cameron and Rebecca Stern Design Works

Bio: Stern Design Works is made up of husband and wife team Cameron and Rebecca Stern.  Founded in 2007, all of the designs were based on Rebecca’s work that she created while earning her BFA in Jewelry at Pratt Institute, but it has since evolved into more of a collaborative process. Cameron was a union theatrical technician and designer and through a series of career moves touching on everything from glassblowing to pastry has found himself as a co-designer, display fabricator, and manager. The pieces in the Stern Design Works’ collections are inspired by nature, filtered through the lens of urban chaos -where we live, work, and produce. Rebecca’s senior thesis focused on creating big abstract pieces of metal influenced by the chaotic forces of snow. From this stemmed a collection of pieces that she felt could be transferred into more everyday wearable pieces. Since then Rebecca and Cameron have created many other collections.

Interview:

GC (Greenway Conservancy): How long have you been creating and selling your work? How would you describe your work? Are there any particular inspirations for your work?

SDW (Stern Design Works): 2012 marks our 6th year in business and our 2nd year as Stern Design Works. We hand-fabricate unique objects in metal, resin and increasingly with other alternative materials. Our subject matter is influenced by the natural world, science, toys, and a fervent passion for the past, present, and future of art and design.

GC: What interested or intrigued you about showcasing and selling your work on the Greenway?

SDW: Urban-transformation creates beauty and interactivity in formerly utilitarian or disused environments. We sell at pop-up markets that infuse beauty, energy and design into the environments that surround them, and vice versa. It is always exciting to sell and interact in a new location, especially one like the Greenway, in terms of creating something special in the middle of an industrial area – something we do on a daily basis.

GC: How many weekends have you dedicated towards being involved with the Greenway Open Market?

SDW: As many as they’ll let us! We will most likely be splitting our Saturdays between the Greenway and Providence Open Markets.

GC:  Can you describe your overall experience with the GOM? Does anything in particular stand out?

SDW: The greenway is a unique experience. It is always great to be able to sell to a mix of cultured locals and tourists which the area really attracts.

GC: What is it like working alongside the other talented artists and vendors at the market?

SDW: It is just another day at work. I couldn’t imagine working in a standard office. It’s always a great experience to be out there in the field with other professional artists.

GC:  What is your favorite part about selling on the Greenway so far?

SDW: It is never bad when we get to sell closely to the Clover food truck. Whenever we can start a day off with one of their breakfast sandwiches I know it’s going to be a good day.

GC:  How do you incorporate environmentally friendly or sustainable practices into the work you do?

SDW: We are trying to use more and more “green sourced” or recycled metals. All of our displays are created with a lot of up-cycled and re-purposed building supplies including barn wood and wood straight out of garbage piles in NYC.

Rebecca and Cameron will be on the Greenway this summer, so be sure to keep an eye out for them! If you would like more information about Stern Design Works or to view their jewelry online, visit: http://sterndesignworks.com/