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Carrying independent brands and local artists is what makes Prism special and what sets us apart from other retailers, large and small. Getting to share their one-of-a-kind work with customers all over the world is a true passion of mine and a big part of what drives me. I am honored so many female makers have entrusted me with their talents and allowed me to partner with them as we grow together.
It goes without saying it’s been a tough time for small businesses and artists, especially ones already working with a team of just a few people who are doing it all. We’re all stretched thin while things are constantly changing and the uncertainty feels overwhelming. Which is why I’m committed to supporting creatives I love as much as I can.
Unique times call for unique solutions, hence the creation of the Prism Boutique Marketplace Collection. Stocked with handmade goods and one-of-a-kind collaborations found only at Prism Boutique, our Marketplace is a revolving platform for local creatives and makers we love to tell their story and share their work in a time when shopping small is more crucial than ever.
Get to know the women behind each featured brand of our first collection and show your support any way you can.
Totally unique, untraditional, and truly artistic, Rawfinery Florals, led by Lizbeth Molina, is a Long Beach-based floral studio specializing in events, workshops, and in-store displays. A Prism go-to for in-store events, there’s something undeniably magical about her fusion of dried and fresh floral arrangements.
What started as a jewelry line turned into a full-fledged floral design business after Liz took a job at a small flower shop. “I fell in love hard with floral design, it felt very fluid,” says Liz. “It occurred to me, floral design felt more like my dream job and jewelry felt more like my hobby. So I charged on.”
Entering a competitive market such as flowers, it can be hard to stand out and find your niche. But leave it to Liz to find a look that’s so essentially hers by staying true to herself. “As a floral designer, I believe this means really honing in on your craft, refining your skill set and exploring your unique voice as an artist. Solid knowledge on design and color theory are really key. Anyone can pile a bunch of beautiful flowers in an arrangement, that’s easy but is that design?”
Liz continues, “When you’re able to design an arrangement that guides the eye around the flowers, where each bloom is nuanced. The way you interact with that arrangement is different, it’s more pleasing to the eye and our brain finds peace within that visual balance. So I try to always seek balance within my work, while exploring the landscapes of my daydreams with emphasis on texture play.”
MEHA Ceramics is a line of small-batch, thoughtful objects handmade in Chicago by artist April Nickel. She’s perfected the art of intersecting beauty and function with her line of housewares, from travel mugs to candle holders, while also focusing on ornamental wall sculptures, vases, and incense holders in earthy colors and organic shapes.
Many of her pieces, including her new collaboration with Prism, feature the Yin Yang. “The Yin Yang has always been such a significant symbol throughout my life and its meanings have always helped define or make sense of the order and disorder, and chaos, in my life,” says April. “The interconnectedness of light and dark is something most of humanity can relate to I think. I have adorned pieces in my collection with this image since MEHA began, so it made sense this would be the inspiration behind our collab.”
The balance the Yin Yang represents can also be found as April juggles being an artist, small business owner, and mother. With long days and new challenges, she’s had to find a new daily rhythm. “Clay requires so much care, attention, and tending to. Pre Covid I would stop and take care of my daughters’ morning routines and drive them to school and return to work in the studio until it was time to pick them up. These days we are all here together, so I fit work in where and when I can.”
But luckily for her, creativity isn’t hard to come by, even when she’s quarantined at home. “My husband is an artist as well, and my children are truly unique, so there’s no shortage of creativity and inspiration in my household,” she says. “ We are always reading, listening to music, looking through books, traveling, frequenting galleries and museums, and often daydreaming together.”
Long Beach-based textile artist, Kalla of küdd:krig, has been a Prism favorite for years. She uses varying textures, hand-painted motifs, and mixed media to create truly unique blankets, pillows, and wall hangings that almost alway sell out.
With designs rooted in nature, Kalla is focused on using earth-friendly, sustainable, and non-toxic materials as a way to honor the symbiotic relationship we share with the earth. “The üTA Tapestries we designed for our Prism collaboration are made to represent this relationship - an interpretation of mountains reflected onto a body of water, a sky transitioning in color, and this perfectly imperfect relationship, balance and interaction,” she says. “Both simple and complex, strong yet soft, with a warm sense of modern minimalism.”
Kalla’s involvement in each aspect of the business continues to keep her creativity flowing. “I flex between working on my etched paintings, tapestries and pillows as there are dry times involved in each step of the process,” she says. “I thrive on working with different mediums, so this dynamic of having my hands on various projects within a day is very fulfilling to me creatively.”
But since her business has only grown in the years since we first started carrying küdd:krig, there are things she can’t always control, like consistently meeting demand for their super sought out products. “We really have to choose which projects are worth our very limited time, and continue to evaluate and refine our processes to be as efficient as possible,” says Kalla. “ It’s definitely an uphill journey and our entire world revolves around meeting this daily challenge, but we are so grateful for how far we have come and where we are headed.”
We’re so excited to work with and support these women who continually inspire us. If you’d like to get to know their work further, check out their websites and give them a follow in Instagram. And make sure you shop our very first Marketplace Collection.
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