August 11, 2023
High Summer
Hudson Valley, NY
By Marion Albers
Photos by Em McCann Zauder, Mary MacGill, and Marion Albers
Video by jazmín calderón torres & Em McCann Zauder
Jewelry rooted by a sense of place. Much of our company’s cultural identity comes from Block Island, where Mary started the business and still returns every summer for a blast of inspiration, shop keeping, and clear ocean dips. It’s the inhale of our business’ breath - a busy season of sharing and inspiration. The deep, open blues of Aquamarine, Sapphire and Kyanite are all reflective of the sea off of Block Island, the endless arc of sky.
But if Block Island is the inhale of our business, the Hudson Valley is the exhale. It’s where our Germantown gallery and jewelry studio are, open year round. The Hudson Valley side of our business is there to keep us anchored, to help us prepare and see through our busy months, and to connect us with the wealth of creatives that have also made their home here.
A big part of what helps us ground our team in the Hudson Valley is the land - the trails down the street, the Catskill mountains in the distance, the ponds for our dogs to cool off in in the summer. The environment which affects us whether we actively engage with it or not - even driving to work down our twisty country roads — sets us up to handle our tools a little more gently, with more breeze between our actions.
Our team has gone on countless mid-afternoon walks and cross-country skis, our dogs bounding ahead, our legs stretching out after all that time at the jewelry bench. Ideas bouncing between us, gentle check-ins. The accessibility we have to green space around us and trails to safely walk our dogs has simply led to a healthier team, a more balanced work-life rhythm, and more inspired collections.
The colors and stones in the High Summer collection are reflective of our favorite Hudson Valley trails and swim spots, many of which are managed and maintained by the Columbia Land Conservancy. The CLC is a non-profit organization that does an incredible job protecting land in our county, and providing educational resources for healthy land management practices. As we’re in an agricultural community in a shifting economic world, they also use a variety of tools to protect farmland, keep it affordable and support the next generation of farmers. To date, they’ve secured more than $25M in grant funds for farmers, conversing over 11,000 acres of land. 5% of all proceeds from the High Summer collection will be donated to the Columbia Land Conservancy in appreciation for their stewardship of our local land in the Hudson Valley.
Thank you CLC!
