Small Batch Story :: Colleen Dougherty Bronstein

Colleen Dougherty Bronstein  is an artist, clothing designer and metalsmith, whose work has been showcased everywhere from the White House in Washington D.C. to the Celestial Seasonings tea factory in Boulder, Colorado.

After being diagnosed with malignant melanoma, Colleen alchemized her considerable talents into a sun-safe clothing line, with a colorful, feminine spin. She is currently developing her next clothing line, which will feature block-printed images of the sun, sea and sand.

We’re honored to feature Colleen Dougherty Bronstein’s Small Batch Story, and share her insights on inspiration, creativity and artistic restraint.

In addition to crafting jewelry with metal and pearls, you've released a line of SunSafe clothing. What compelled you to dive into clothing design, and how does UV Protection fabric work?

I was diagnosed with melanoma, lived a very active outdoor lifestyle and wanted to continue to do all the summer things I love. I researched sun protection clothing and only came up with unisex and generic styles, and I needed something with some flair and color. UV protection fabric works to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) shows how well a fabric protects your skin from solar UV and lets you select sun protective clothing with confidence.

Sun Protection Sarong

You've stated that you're drawn to the ocean and the beach, and that color is your primary inspiration. Describe a perfect day of inspired creation, from dawn till dusk.

A perfect day of inspired creation is at those moments when I see everything around me with immense clarity. I am awed by the hues of the morning light and the colors projected from all that surrounds me. During midday the sun changes position, the lights are brighter, more intense and objects pop all around you. At day’s end the palette is softer, yet just as intense, and if you are connected to all things related to nature you will have tones, textures and colors to use in your next body of work…waiting to be created.

What's the biggest business lesson you've learned, throughout your award-winning artistic career?

That you -- the designer -- are not the customer. Therefore, there are times you must show restraint, pull a design back and allow the customer to have control.

If you weren't a metalsmith, jeweler and clothing designer, how would you spend your days?

I would probably still be creating in whatever capacity creating would take; the creation of a child, the creation of a beautiful, warm, safe home, and pursue those creations with the same depth of passion I am used to in my art.

Portrait of the Sea

Describe the type of world you want to design.

I would have to say a beautiful, warm, and safe world full of love and passion.

Find Colleen online at BronsteinArtwork.com or request a project quote or commissioned piece by emailing her at colleen@bronsteinartwork.com.            

Photo Credits :: Colleen Dougherty Bronstein

Small Batch Stories profiles artisinal designers, producers and manufacturers who are committed to local economies--and global good. If you'd like to share your Small Batch Story on Vianza.com, introduce yourself to editor@vianza.com.

Interviewed by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.

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