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Introducing artisanti, the new Cosanti Originals e-newsletter focusing on our unique, artisan-crafted goods. Individually made by hand in the same time-honored tradition for over 65 years, our distinctive windbells are sought-after and collected.
Look for features on our artisans, new handcrafted products like bell-inspired jewelry and decorative tile sets, and stay informed about exclusive offers, tours, and happenings at Cosanti and Arcosanti.
Photo credit, left: Jessica Jameson
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Artisan Spotlight: Meet Spencer Smith |
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Ceramicist, Bartender, and Nature-Lover |
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Now, over 2 years later, Spencer is an integral part of the art we make at Cosanti Originals. She creates everything from the small ceramic tiles that are used in hanging ornaments and souvenir magnets to 4-piece coordinating tile gift sets. Her talent also shines in the 9-inch diameter round tiles (our largest), widely used as wall art or to spice up table decor as trivets. |
Spencer says, “working at this oasis in the middle of the city has really made me appreciate the outdoors which, in the end, does inspire me and my designs.” When creating her tiles, Spencer draws inspiration from the nature around her “like mountains, quail, roadrunners, and of course, my hummingbirds." She is most proud of her iconic cactus designs, and we can’t say we blame her.
Spencer had never made ceramic tiles before working at Cosanti, but you wouldn’t know it. Her work has made quite the impression, drawing attention from famous chefs to luxury architectural firms. Recently, she’s been working on commissioned projects for many people at once! Stay tuned for those stories coming soon.
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Having graduated from ASU in 2018 with a degree in ceramics, Spencer Smith knew that she wanted to work with her hands. A friend introduced her to Cosanti Originals shortly after her graduation, and she immediately felt a connection. Spencer started working at Cosanti Originals part-time in October of 2018 and in February of last year, she was brought on full-time to create her distinctive ceramic tiles. |
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Because we care deeply about conserving and protecting our planet, all parts of Spencer’s ceramic tiles are used, even the parts that break off when firing. Those small, imperfect pieces are embellished and glazed to become part of something new. Most recently, they have been incorporated into our Rain Chains, making the chains even more special than they already are! |
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Outside of work, Spencer is an avid woodworker, soccer player, and gardener. She also tends bar and has a particular love for beer. All in all, Spencer is a talented craftswoman and member of the team of artisans at Cosanti Originals. To see Spencer in action, come visit Cosanti in Paradise Valley for a guided tour. To shop for her ceramic tiles, visit our website or shop in our gallery!
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Photo credits - Jessica Jameson Photo |
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Design Miami is an international design fair held annually each December in Miami, Florida. The fair is usually held in tandem with Miami Basel and attracts famous designers, gallerists, critics, and collectors from all over the world! It features exhibitions, awards, presentations, and (in a normal year) welcomes up to 28,000 visitors.
In 2020, Design Miami got a lot of hype online in the press and on social media. Over 200 journalists (including Architectural Digest and Forbes) and top-tier social media influencers (including @fendi and @themintymoment) posted about and attended the fair. Design Miami 2020 lasted ten days starting the day after Thanksgiving, featured eleven international galleries, and launched its first virtual edition of the fair with over 240 select pieces shoppable via the Design Miami Shop.
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And here’s the best part - Cosanti Originals was featured as part of the stunning Converso Gallery exhibit! A work on paper by Paolo Soleri even won the “Top Ten Historical” Award! We are thrilled and absolutely humbled to have been a part of such a high-profile event alongside some of the most important tastemakers in the contemporary and modern art scene today.
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Other pieces at the fair included “contemporary works like a triple-necked bronze table by the Haas Brothers, a hand-built paper pulp shelf by Katie Stout, and ceramics based on photographs of Black Lives Matter protests by Isaac Scott." True to form in the fair's reputation of offering something for every collector, two Camptosaurus and Allosaurus dinosaur skeletons excavated from Wyoming were also exhibited at the 2020 Design Miami art fair! For more information, visit @designmiami, #designmiami, and @conversomod
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Photo credits
Top Image and 3 middle images: Design Miami/Podium in the Moore Building within the Miami Design District, Photographer: Kris Tamburello, @kris_tamburello; Triple-neck bronze piece: Katherine Suarez/ Design Miami;
Dinosaurs: Jason Jaques Gallery / Design Miami
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Take A Guided Tour of Cosanti! |
Did you know that we offer guided tours every day of the week? Visit us to get a special inside look at the history and magic behind Cosanti!
$15 adults
FREE children under 12
Weekdays 10am |11:15am
Weekends 11:30am | 1pm
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6433 E Doubletree Ranch Rd Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
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