Artist Of The Month – April 2007

Tamara Farion
Gwynedd Valley, PA

Email:TFarion@aol.com

http://www.EmunahDesigns.com

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 576
Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437

Telephone:
(215) 591–2355
(215) 738–1010

What do you love about Art Clay? The challenge of transforming it into whatever my mind imagines.
What are your favorite Art Clay projects/creations? My favorite projects are working with Photo Polymer Plates. It was my biggest challenge being able to get the finest print I could possible get onto a piece of ACS. And it had to be legible. After much trial and error, I have gotten the hang of it.
What other media do you work and/or teach in?? I love to fabricate with Sterling Silver. I also teach wire working, enamelling, Pearl Knotting and various Bead Stringing Techniques.
Biography: Tamara Farion is a native Philadelphian. She graduated from Philadelphia College of Textile with a Bachelor’s Degree in Textile Design. She held a management position with Klein’s Company for 20 years. In 2001 Tamara traveled to Asia, and lived in Singapore for two years. While living and traveling in Asia, Tamara studied the art of jewelry design and observed old world craftsmanship from some of the finest gemologists and designers. While in Singapore, Tamara became a Certified Senior Instructor for Art Clay Silver, and established her first business, Tamara Farion Designs. Already an established master of beadwork, this newly acquired skill enabled Tamara to take her jewelry designs to a new level. Each piece is one of a kind and hand crafted from precious metals and semi–precious gems. Her pieces are carried by Langman’s Gallery in Willow Grove, Artisans 3 in Flourtown, Green & Green in Lambertville, NJ and Alchemy in Frenchtown, NJ just to name a few. In 2003 Tamara partnered with Maita Shinefiled and started a business called Emunah Designs. Tamara and Maita combined their artistic talents and their experience in the retail fashion industry to develop a unique line of jewelry. They create jewelry with a special message. Each piece is hand crafted from fine silver and 22KT gold and adorned with top quality precious and semi–precious gems. They can be seen at www.EmunahDesigns.com. They are found in many galleries in the US. Tamara’s studio is located a few miles outside of Philadelphia, in Gwynedd Valley, where she resides with her husband, daughter and Lhasa Apso, Shirko.
Philosophy: Color and texture have always fascinated me. It attracts my eye and plays with my imagination. The various colors ofgreen on a leaf, the crystal clear dew drops it gathers in the morning. The color of blooming morning glories in the sun. My mother’s blueberry pie, and the blue stains it left on my teeth. The deep red color of fresh tomatoes from a summer garden. The various swirls of colors on a snail shell gently deposited by the ocean on white sand. As a child, I used to grab for my mothers necklaces. Long beaded strings of sparkling crystal, red coral, amber, pearls and lapis. I wanted to touch them, to feel them. Invariably I ended breaking most of them. But I knew I could put them back together! My mother gave me a spool of thread and a thin sewing needle and a salt water taffy box full of beads from the broken strings. And put them together I did. I still have the box that kept me so busy that wonderful summer. My passion was fired up anew when my family and I move to Singapore. We traveled to many Asian countries. It was total sensory overload. Colors and texture, patterns and designs I had never experience before were all before my eyes. Red cloves growing on green trees, the multi–colored clothing of the Hill Tribe people, the light blue ocean water around Bali, the colorful flower’s that young Hindu girls carried to the temple, the rich colors and textures of fruits and vegetables at the food markets. I spent most of my time looking for unique beads, silver and gold. I broadened my knowledge base by becoming certified as an Art Clay Senior Instructor in addition to working with silver and gold. My husband and daughter thought I had gone over the deep end… but, my memories combined with my newly found treasures and skills brought back the time of that one glorious summer where I sat under a tree with the breeze ruffling my hair, a silver needle, white thread and my blue salt water taffy box full of beads. I started to design and I haven’t stopped.

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