Lacoste Bound!

So I've been hinting about some BIG news for a while now and I am so excited to finally spill the beans!! Drum-roll, please......

This jewelry designer (aka me) is headed to Lacoste, France this summer, for an 8-week residency in collaboration with her alma mater, SCAD!!  YEAYYY! 

Let me rewind a bit and give a little backstory. SCAD has a wonderful campus in Lacoste, France as part of their study abroad campus structure. Back in 2010, I was in my first quarter of jewelry classes when I heard that the jewelry program was going to Lacoste, but unfortunately, all the spots were full and goodness, I had just found jewelry and could barely hold a saw frame properly, much less complete high level jewelry classes in a foreign country. There was no way I would be able to go to Lacoste at that point.

Fast forward a few years to 2016 , when I first heard about a new program called the SCAD Alumni Atelier. From the SCAD Atelier website:"The SCAD Alumni Atelier, an artist ambassadorship conceived and endowed by SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace, enriches the creative and professional endeavors of distinguished SCAD graduates. Alumni expand the boundaries of their work, strengthen their connection with their alma mater and join a select group of ambassadors within the university's global network of emerging artists and scholars."

I thought about it in 2016, but figured that would never be me...but it stuck in my mind until December 2017 when BOOM! everything aligned. I submitted my application and wished for the best. 

Now here we are! I recently got word that I was selected along with a group of 6 other *highly talented* alumni. I am thrilled about the opportunities that await my arrival in France. 

I have been working around the clock (it seems) to get logistics figured out...and WOW, there are a lot of logistics to figure out. That being said, here are a few details below.

For my commission clients: We are working diligently to get each of your orders finished by my departure date, so worry not! Feel free to email me with any questions that you may have in regards to your projects, as these pieces are at the top of my priorities!

For potential commission clients: Anyone thinking about getting a commissioned piece of jewelry with a delivery date of August-October, please email me now so we can figure out the necessary details! I want to make sure we can make everything happen, but I have to plan it out as of right now. I am no longer able to take commission orders for delivery June and July. 

For all other customers: While there may be a delay in orders placed through the website from June - end of July, I will still have a healthy selection of jewelry that will be ready to ship and my husband, Drew, will be the Head Shipper while I'm away. So take my word for it, you're in great hands! 

All of that being said, I will be doing lots of blog posts, a special Lacoste journal (sent via my VIP newsletter list, so be sure to SIGN UP now!!) and all sort of other fun things while I'm gone. I'll also be showing what I'm working on and keeping each of you up-to-date about the collection I'm building while I'm in France.

I can't wait to take each of you on this journey with me!!

Now back to those logistics....EEK!!

-Kristen

 All images credit SCAD via scad.edu.