IN CONVERSATION WITH COLLABORATOR STEFAN WILLIAMSON
Cyntia asks Stefan
1-How did you come to be involved in creative committees at cultural institutions in Toronto?
I've always been a patron of the arts in Toronto. The opera, ballet, symphony, and many galleries. I reached a point where I wanted to be more than a patron. I wanted to use my voice to help these organizations communicate more clearly to the groups interested in the art forms they produced. I also wanted to be a part of the arts community at a deeper level to learn from people with more experience and knowledge than I had. Through conversations at parties and other networking events, I was fortunate enough to speak with people who introduced me to other young professionals who sat on boards and committees of the arts organizations I wanted to be a part of. Those people were instrumental in giving me the opportunity to be involved. As a result, giving others the opportunity to be involved in the arts is very important to me.
2- What type of art do you like the most?
I’m a big fan of contemporary art, illustrators, and photographers. Outside of some of the larger well known commercial names, I appreciate the creative work of British illustrator Shantell Martin and NYC based photographer Lougé Delcy (Dapper Lou). Locally in Toronto, I enjoy the art of Ness Lee, Tabban Soleimani, and Alexis Eke.
3- What have you been doing to keep yourself occupied during the pandemic?
Not gonna lie; I’ve fallen victim to the Netflix wormhole and have binged on a bunch of shows, but I have also tried my best to use the downtime to cultivate more meaningful relationships and read. I used to despise FaceTime, still do. However, it has allowed me to stay connected visually with friends and grow relationships with some great people who I may have only seen here and there at parties or traded a few memes with on Instagram. Bookwise, some good reads were James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son (I’m late, yes I know), David Goggins Can’t Hurt Me, and The Cleo Reader: 2013 to 2019, which is a book dedicated to film and film culture from an intersectional feminist perspective. I also cycled. A lot.
4- Do you have a favourite movie?
Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite directors. Funny enough, I was talking to a friend the other day about the wave scene in Interstellar. It was incredibly well done. But a movie that has really stood out to me is If Beale Street Could Talk, directed by Barry Jenkins. It’s a beautifully shot film with some powerful performances by all the actors. A tragic love story that shows how unfair life can be living in America while being Black. The score is very moving as well.
5- What is your favourite music album?
I grew up on New York hip hop from the ’90s. Nas, Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang. I love their music, but there is a time and place for that kind of vibe. It isn’t exactly a genre that transcends all moods. Having said that, for those who know me well, know that I’m pretty dynamic in the things that I absorb and that ties back to the music that I listen to as well. For me, D’angelo’s Voodoo is an album that has always resonated with me. Part hip hop, part soul but definitely always a vibe.
Stefan asks Cyntia
1- What brings you peace?
Silence brings me peace, also traveling on my own. I think without silence it's hard to observe how things work and formulate your own views about things. Traveling solo is also one of my favourite things. I love exploring cities, visiting art galleries and going into local shops. It's fascinating to me.
2- What was the last book you read?
The last book I read was the Company of One by Paul Jarvis. I was looking for a book to validate the way I manage my business because a lot of people tell me "you should expand, go big, you need to be at this shop in this city, etc" I find it overwhelming, because I like to create things at my own pace. From the beginning I created my brand with the intent to be creative and less commercial. I also manage every aspect of my business on my own. I only have my assistant that helps me with my collections. This book gets into the topic of why staying small is the next big thing for business. Very interesting read. I also read the Stanley Kubrick Archives when I was designing the ORBIT Collection, a very insightful book if you like Kubrick's aesthetics in cinema. It's always at my desk and is a great reminder of pushing your ideas forward.
3- Has anyone ever tried to quiet your creative voice on a collaborative project?
Perhaps, but I don't think it was meant intentionally. Sometimes people also would like to put their ideas out and it's normal to have some sort of a clash but it is part of the process.
4- What advice do you have on the humility of being an entrepreneur?
I think a lot of people don't want to start from the bottom. People don't want to look embarrassed, they want to look great all the time. I also didn't want to look embarrassed either but when I had quit my full time job and I was just with this business that was so new I had to go out and look for opportunities and simply figure out a way to make money with what I like doing. I would go anywhere people invited me to do a pop up or event, did not matter to me where it was, I would just be there. I remember even buying a folding table for events just in case the organizer would say "we don't have a table" then I could say "I have one and I can bring it!" I have many funny stories. I look back and I always laugh because they are always humbling like having an Uber leaving me in the middle of the street in a snowstorm because they didn't want to damage their car with my table and all my event props.
5- What has been the most rewarding moment so far of your jewelry career?
I think it was working on a large special order request for a client of my porcelain dishes to decorate their Villa in the south of France. I was like "Why do they want this?" "Are you sure?"I think I packed the porcelain like 10 times to make sure it wasn't going to break. Also friends who text me when they see someone at a party wearing my jewellery. I feel extremely happy even if I am at home on my couch. I don't go out much so having my pieces going to parties sounds fun to me.
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