Yvonne Palermo
www.cosmocometdesigns.com
November 13, 2006
By Victoria
(SugarBuzz Hollywood)
Photos Courtsey Of Yvonne
We ran in to a beautiful soul in a bead shop in downtown LA one Saturday when we were looking for rhinestones for our Sugarbuzz Tee Shirts. We zeroed in to the fantastic pendant she had around her neck. Where can we get one of these? The nice lady said “Their mine!?”
OK, here comes the very first Sugarbuzz Magazine, Local Rock, Worldwide, Jewelry and Knitwear Interview!!!
Hello Yvonne Palermo of Cosmo Comet Designs!
Lets get your basics; born?
New Mexico.
Grew up?
All over the United States (Texas, New York, New Hampshire, California, sheeeeesh you name it I have been there) and a fun stay in Switzerland for some time as a child!
Astrological sign?
Sagittarius.
Lucky number?
ANY ODD NUMBER!
Favorite Beatle?
Beatle as in the Beatles or as in bug?
Silly girl!
Stink bug- and Lennon.
Your pendants blend graphics, photos and art. Are you going for a fantasy thing? Nostalgia?
My pendants are created with no planning, I just GO! I use vintage nudes because there is such beauty in there poses and angelic life to them, compared to the plastic world we are in now! I think they are so lovely natural bodies and no attitude behind them. I also use many mixes of vintage images, as well as modern twists, words, themes, custom orders, heck TRAVIS BARKER has his!! See my web page! He has a nudie!
Anyhow, I just love making miniature double sided fine art that you can wear and layer several times to get a very Bohemia flare or rock look. They are original one of a kind makes, and I love them! they are lead free and have dangling below the pendant: Swarovski crystals, sterling silver embellishments, semi-precious stones, and the occasional fishing lure clasp or surprise dangle too, and of course my magic that makes them so fun. They come on several lengths of ball chains just let me know.
There is a pendant that taps into the holidays. We saw a very pretty Two Sides of Christmas pendant on your web site. Do you sometimes set out to make a commercial piece? I.e. something to sell?
I wouldn't say I set out to do any commercial piece, I just like Christmas or rather the fun little images I find around, and so I make something with them. I will do custom orders, If you like a certain theme, color, saying, children, heir loom piece to wear I do it. As far as Christmas goes, I just made a few for fun, Christmas can be worn in new funky way, and they can actually be worn anytime for fun! Afterwards, you can hang them for an art piece in your home, pull chain for that light fixture, and dangle in the window for spectacular shimmering art!
Or do you create what ever you like and if people dig it and buy it, all the better?
I Create MY ART and I create other custom art with MY flare or magic. I always have to add my creative soul into the piece. I am in every piece of my work. If there is a person that really wants something specific sure I will do it! Like a family pendant digital me the pics and let me do my magic! I never say NO, it is their art too and they are wearing it so the client should be happy. But there is a line, I will not be told HOW TO DO MY WORK!
Your knit- wear is very distinctive. Layers and pieces that can solo or be grouped. Lots of fun colors and shapes. Where did these come from?
I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED! I minored in Fiber Arts which basically means if it has any fiber in it, and not the kind you eat to dispose of things, I make incredible pieces of art/fine art. I love combining several objects together to make one whole piece, weaving on a loom, knitting, hand embroidery; gosh you name it I told you I love to make it!
My pieces right now on my web site are pieces you can wear on you head or neck, to keep warm, and there are finger less gloves to keep your fingers ready to work while warming those muscles we use to often , such as computer work! You can flip your thumb out and wear it as a sleeve under a shirt or coat for example and no one will know it isn't a part of your shirt! That goes for the neck wear as well, I wore one under my sweater the other day and someone thought it was a part of the sweater and it wasn't, I slid it atop my head because it was 32 degrees out and my ears were cold. Layer them; make it fun that is what my fiber "warmies" (I call them) are all about!
I am working on more of them with fun fibers included in the warmies so they actually have fuzzy moving parts too! Fun fun and warm! I sell sets and separates just email me too if any colors are needed!! I have lots It just takes time to keep posting and keeping up with sales online! But I am getting there. I also do some extraordinary embroidery brooches that are hundreds of French knots to wear, and I do my own textile designs too! Really fun. When I do a textile though, I have to say I am meticulous, that is the only time! I love making unusual scarves and ways to wear things. I have a great purse made from hot glue! Yep really and it is usable, not the hot glue sticks but melted hot glue, really on edge isn't it!
Tell us about the foam art? And the Frog at the zoo?
I use to work for a company that did foam sculpting for movie sets, and all kinds of places. A lot of my work was done for the casinos in Vegas- which rocked, I have lots in the Luxor, an Egyptian piece- which can be seen on DIY NETWORKS show next year called "Craft Lab", I just got done filming two episodes there one was on foam sculpting so tune in to learn how!! Anyhow, I did a lot of foam frogs and one ended up at the zoo on a giant leaf, to great!
The horses outside of a restaurant chain starts with a "P.F.ch...”those are all foam and I worked on 7 of them. Along with doing Christmas themed snowman and more for big chain stores for their displays! Foam Sculpting takes a lot of work, but I tell ya it is so so so much fun, just work in a well ventilated area ok! If you need a great place to buy your products go to www.hotwirefoamfactory.com and tell them I sent ya!
Love the bottle cap thing? Where did that come from? Too many Coronas?
Well no I do not drink beer, sorry folks, I stick to the rums in my life, and anyhow, I love to do dioramas - it means putting little themes inside the bottle cap like a little collage or 3-d event and make earrings out of them, or magnet sets, belts, wall art etc...Or use them in assemblage works! Bottle caps just have this thing about them that say "work with me damn it!" oops sorry about that!! I love recyclable art!
Wire sculptures in your studio? Angels we have heard on high? Oh yes, I love wire sculpture, I love to sit in front of my TV with a good movie and wire sculpt me an angel , figures, gothic like structures, you name it for that, they float in my abode. Faceless creatures to hang. LOVE IT
How did you start? Where did you study?
I started as a young tot, always building, making mud pies with spiders and feeding that to the neighbor kids, and then making mud sculptures and mud paintings, and just creating on and on!
My Dad always liked to draw and that encouraged me along with my Uncle Billy. Then my Mom is always a crafty person putting things together you would never imagine till you saw that it worked. Kind of pointed out to me, anything is possible, ANYTHING! I went to the party school ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, and yes I graduated with Cum Laude, 3.9. I was a smarty but no geek by any means. Fun and funky with a twist of quirkiness that gets me around this world.
I love the limelight, and I just filmed here as an extra for a movie called Vissioneers and I was a hippie musician dancer! oh my too fun and comes out in 2007- believe same guy who did "Napoleon Dynamite," so then I finally got to get myself on two shows on DIY NETWORK next year, I just got back from LA where I met you lovely lady that you are/vixen, and I did two shows on for "CRAFT LAB" with hostess Jennifer Perkins, who has one of my necklaces too!! Yeah! So, look for me next years season of craft lab please. One of these days I would love to just HOST my own show so keep those rock and roll fingers crossed, ok!
Obviously your stuff is available on line. Any shops? Art fairs?
Yes, I do have my works in several galleries, just sent an order to Laguna Beach and Balboa Island, and then some here and there around town. I do fairs once in a while- some huge ones, 150,000 people and little ones, But now that I am more out there I am working hard on my web site to get with the masses like Travis Barker- see pics of him on my site by the way! He is a hottie and a doll! sheesh, what was his wife thinking?????
Anyhow, there are others buying them as soon as I put them on, but believe me I am going to start just loading them up so do not fret, I have lots here and I take custom orders, want someone in your pendant, child, family, or a saying, or any them , I can do it!!!! You will rock with it on believe me. I get stopped on the street , because I wear 7 of them, or more, I like the layering look and people just buy right on the street, I carry my case with me!
There are a few shops, not sure if I can name them that will be selling my stuff online, but hey, my site is a shop so WELCOME, COME ON IN!
Does decorating an everyday object raise it to art?
HMMM...... Well, craft and fine art/ art, there are differences. If I was to take a shelf, paint it and decorate with tons of embellishment sure it is art but not fine art. However If I were to paint on that shelf an immaculate painting that takes several hours and stunning effects that can be fine art. Such a fine line with it. I just say "MAKE STUFF!" IF YOU ARE MAKING AND TRANSFORMING YOU ARE CREATING AND ART IS CREATION. Creating your OWN art is fine art, not using a craft kit from local supply store. Decorating something and starting from scratch are two different things.
Your pieces have a real Rock and Roll feeling. They have music, harmony and rhythm. Are you a musician?
I actually played the piano for years, and with art you are constantly moving your fingers, mouth and body! Art has to be in TUNE to flow. I love love love to dance, I just cannot tell you how much I love it, and that also comes through, like in my pendants I love the real sexy, rock and roll type ones. Hard core me! Wear it with pride and do not worry about any one else. Nudity is art as well; we are art, moving at a rhythm daily. You make what your beat is and use that beat with your work. Make it fun.
Do you take inspiration from music?
Yes, I play music in my studio constantly, sometimes a word or too pop into my work! It makes me move to create. It is amazing how the artist- whether musician, painter, artist in general, actor, someone on the street dancing, playing guitar, any of those outlets are all connected. We are all one using that part of the brain. We are all unique artists, gifted and blessed in a sense that the people in a cubicle just do not get. So be happy, I wouldn't want to be in a cubicle, would you?
Do you do custom work? If someone wanted a Jimi Hendrix piece or a Beatles?
YES!!!!!- I do custom orders of all themes wanted. I do respect copyrights, but I seam to find just the right pictures and sayings for the client. Just let me know, I will make it for you. There is an extra fee for custom, cause that means I drop what I am doing and go right to your piece. So please respect that. I take my work seriously and quality as well.
What is your take on the music scene in Seattle? Past, present and future.
My take on Seattle’s scene is it needs to be lifted a bit more! I do not see the passion it once had. The grunge thing kinda grew to an enormous event then faded and now we are just waiting for the next phase. Just like any other art, or band or play, what is the next thing to hit big?? I think we have to break away from the past and move to new heights, I appreciate the past, wouldn't have music without it, BUT, let's move to a new level of music.
Grunge? Is it still alive? Newbie’s and die-hards?
Oh Yes- they still are here and always will be. Die hards are everywhere and that is respectable, shows appreciation for the work done. As far as newbie’s, there are several but nothing blowing out my brains as far as fantastic sounds yet!
OK, Why Seattle?
Why as in why am I here? Well my ex brought me here from Arizona, won't go to that story. But I am adjusting, I do miss the sun, the healthy glow, the sky globe of blue, but I am here and for a reason.
And finally, tell us about the rain? Does it drive ya nuts?
Well speaking of rain we are having a storm, and it has been going on for two days now. You know the rain is rhythmic and soothing at times. I like the beat; it is like lighting a candle and having that kind of relaxation. The seasons changing here are spectacular and well, the rain is natural MUSIC, isn't it. Listen. You'll relax, and maybe tap your toes too. It doesn't drive me nuts, What does is - layers of clothes I have to put on but since I make them I guess it is ok!!
email yvonne at art@cosmocometdesigns.com
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