available in Vermont
Aid Through Trade™ was founded with a desire to bring the artistry and craftsmanship of Nepali designers to a western market, while at the same time improving the social and economic status for the artisan groups involved. Today we are proud to state that we continue to grow with the same philosophy, helping women artisan groups in Nepal and Vietnam bring their products to a western market. We continue to embrace (and practice) fair wages, excellent working conditions, advancement, training, and most importantly, dignity in the workplace.
Aid Through Trade™ practiced social responsibility and fair trade before these became marketable terms, and we look forward to the continuation of these practices long into the future.
Each piece is a miniature tempered glass mosaic made with mostly USA made components. Beads and some chains are imported. A majority of our chains are nickel plate brass and brass plated steel ball chains that are manufactured in Mt. Vernon, NY.
Our designs start with an emotion, a silly joke, an experience; each piece has its own story. We daydream and doodle new ideas, utilizing a variety of materials and techniques. The designs are then sent to Cuervo Metal, our sister company, and are given to a skilled prototype maker. Once we see the prototypes, we make any changes that are needed, and the finalized designs are given to the artisans to produce in their own workshops. They use a combination of traditional silversmithing techniques and new, innovative processes that we have introduced. The end result is our unique, handmade jewelry.
For 30 years, we have been designing jewelry using hand picked beads from around the world. We use handmade sterling beads, Swarovski crystal, antique glass, semi-precious stones, Czechoslovakian table cut glass, fresh water pearls, 12k gold fill and many other natural materials.
We believe that beautiful jewelry should gracefully gather a patina of our life experiences. We envision a joyful child discovering her mother’s jewelry box, dreaming of the day when she too will wear these treasures, and be warmed by their rich memories.
If a company can have a mission other than simple survival, ours is to resist the current direction the market is taking and suggest another way, where good design isn’t something disposable, and you can take pride in something you bought twenty years ago. We believe anything truly valuable takes some care, whether it’s your mother’s silver or your mother herself. And that the things you wear really can be an expression of who you are; they can make you feel good and brighten the day for others.
The child of a sculptor father and dancer mother, Nicolette was raised with art as a part of her life. She has always been fascinated with the exquisite designs and craftsmanship of past eras, especially the Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco periods. These loves have been integrated into her jewelry by combining actual vintage glass and antique Victorian buttons with modern sterling silver settings, luminous pearls, luscious semi precious stones and sparkling Austrian crystal. Nicolette has been making and designing wearable art since 1988 in the San Francisco bay area.
Our exquisite, dichroic art glass, is like no other dichroic glass you've seen before. Years of experimentation and testing have lead us to a gorgeous result which just seems to get better and better. Unlike other dichroic glass, our art glass has incredible color, depth, brilliance and evokes a captivating and colorful, artistic expression.
spain in america
Martin Venzal creates these hand woven, dyed and fringed 100% silk scarves using natural dyes. Each scarf features a cascade of monochromatic or color coordinated shades. Specify 3 color choices to be included in one scarf or a monochromatic color story. Each one-of a kind scarf makes a romantic accessory.
Taina Hartman was born in Alaska and grew up on the Oregon countryside. She studied art at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, receiving her BFA in painting in 1997. She works as a painter, sculptor, and jewelry designer in her studio in White Salmon, Washington. Her creations embrace nature themes, with images of trees, flowers, and wildlife. Her designs are whimsical and sweet, elegant and colorful, yet simple. Her jewelry is lightweight, durable, and fun to wear.
The design objective of our sterling silver jewelry is not so much trend driven as it is to invoke a sense in the wearer, however subtle, of transcendence from the humdrum of our daily existence, to our truer nature, that which connects us all to our planet.