Today in New York: Lia Bowen

What Lia Bowen says about her Bullfinch & Barbury creations is that she hopes her customers will wear them as often as she does.

And how could you not, since each and every piece is unique, with a rich, painterly, hand-hewn look?

Drawing inspiration from varied sources, like a few long-adored antiques, exotic flowering plants and even the manner in which color projects personality, Lia loves Italy (and its food) and thinks NYC’s 5th ave is one of the best shopping places in the whole world…

:: Why and when did you started Bullfinch & Barbury? I started Bullfinch & Barbury in November 2007 of  by accident.  It’s true!  I was working on some pieces of jewelry / sculpture for a series I intended to submit to galleries.  One night, I needed a color fix, so I whipped up a set of stackable bangles out of scrap metal and enameled them in shades of blue.  They went over so well that I made more and more.

:: Where do you get your inspiration from? I see inspiration everywhere – in the window of a bakery, or in the ants climbing across peone blossoms, or in the finish of an antique chair.

:: Who is your ideal buyer? My ideal buyer is someone who is looking for authentic craftsmanship, rough-hewn elegance . . . and someone who is not afraid to be noticed for wearing a piece of jewelry that people can’t keep their eyes off of!  ; )

:: What is your favorite NYC place? The Metropolitan Museum of Art…  no matter how many times I go there, I always find something beautiful to see, whether it be ancient votive statues or Impressionist paintings.

:: Do you think New York can still considered the place-to-be for young creatives? I think that New York has a very competitive atmosphere for up and coming artists, but hard work, creativity and a bit of luck can pay off.  It is a challenge to “make it” in NYC, but on the other hand, people are always looking for fresh, new ideas . . . who’s to say that your’s might not be the next big thing?

:: Where do you shop in NYC? Fifth Avenue is a shopper’s dream come true.  Just take a look at the window displays (that is enough to get me salivating).  But if you want to find some fantastic sources for fabrics and textiles (an obsession of mine), take a trip to the Fabric District around West 36th – West 40th.  All within those few blocks, you can find the most amazing materials!

:: If I say Italy, you say…? “Tutto è buono in Italia!”

Francesca Masoero
Francesca Masoero non è la campionessa di canottaggio che appare se digitate il suo nome su Google. È l’altra, la multitasker. Ha un (in)utile dottorato in cinema e marketing; racconta in modo non convenzionale e creativo New York, Torino e Bologna su NUOK e scrive di eventi, lifestyle e cultura per Lookout Magazine; si occupa di marketing, comunicazione, pr e web 2.0 tra Torino (la sua città natale) e New York (la sua città ideale). In più, a volte fa la stylist e a volte la cool hunter. È creativa, ma pignolissima. Sembra zen, ma è perennemente sull’orlo di una crisi di nervi. La salvano le piccole cose della (sua) vita: il rock’n’roll, la pasta al pesto, internet e il suo nuovo bellissimo frigorifero da 300 litri, pieno di quello che il suo fidanzato chiama “cibo da conigli”.