Today in New York: Molly Spilane

Molly Spilane had a dream: to make handmade and cool graphic jewelry & gifts that will get gals known for their unique sense of style.

Molly’s dream soon became a hobby and then a part -time job quickly transforming into a real business that she called Unique Art Pendants.

There, Molly gets her creativity flowin’ by crafting unique and fun designs using vintage anatomy, flora & fauna, and heartwarming retro images.

:: Why and when did you start Unique Art Pendants? I started Unique Art Pendants just over two years ago. I wanted to create graphic jewelry that is a bit whimsical, weird, and slightly odd. Jewelry that will get the wearer known for their unique sense of style. I was tired of seeing the same sort of jewelry over and over again. I wanted to make something different.

:: Where do you get your inspiration from? I get my inspiration from everything around me. Even though I am a busy woman, I try very had to take a minute every day to stop and really visually take a look around me. I really try my hardest not to allow this strange world to pass me by. I try to find one thing that sticks out or looks out of place. Finding odd things around me feeds my creativity. I really like the idea that a single image can trigger a memory, a laugh, or an emotion from a person and at the same time create a totally different emotion for a different person. That’s the beauty of art.

:: Who is your ideal buyer? My ideal buyer is a fashion-forward person who likes to express themselves with creative jewelry and accessories and is not afraid to get lots of attention and compliments from what they wear. I am honored to be able to say my creations are sold in one of the USA’s top 5 modern museums The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN.
It’s fun to wear something that is recognized from a famous museum!

:: What’s your fav place in NYC? My favorite NYC place is The Museum of Modern Art! The amount of creativity within that building is totally amazing!

::Do you think NY can still be considered the place to be for young creatives? I do think NYC is still, and will forever be, an amazing place to be for young creative people but I believe you don’t HAVE to go to NYC to “make it big” and become successful. 2010 is an wonderful time for independent artists and designers. The power of the internet is so huge and allows the ability to create a worldwide view into any artist’s vision from anywhere in the world.

:: Where do you shop in NY? I would never turn down a day trip around NYC to visit the newest and freshest small independent boutiques!

:: If I say Italy, You say…? If you say Italy – I say… WONDERFUL, kind, and warmhearted people. I was once hopelessly lost in Rome with only the address of the hotel I was staying at. At the time I spoke no Italian and showed the address to an elderly man on the street. He walked with me and delivered me to the front door of the hotel. He spoke no English, I spoke no Italian, both of us communicated with smiles.

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”.