Bella News

23 Wednesday Apr 2014

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Come visit the Tucson Museum of Art.  Not only will you be able to see the enthralling new exhibit of centenarian Rose Cabat’s ceramics, there are surprises in store in the gift shop…

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That’s right:  exciting times here at Bella Argentina!  This spring has been fantástico for us – our spot on NPR, the buzz about our wedding jewelry in Arizona Bride magazine, and now, we’ve got more exciting news:  our new Art Deco pieces have been selected for display and sale in the Tucson Museum of Art gift shop!     

We’ve been busy getting a new crop of necklaces ready for the museum…

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Studio time preparing the Tucson Museum of Art order – Tango music and yerba maté waft through the air as the Luli necklaces come together

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Bella Argentina Jewelry:  Rhodochrosite and smoky quartz coming together with sterling silver 

Besides our trademark gemstone necklaces and earrings, we’ve also been digging through our Argentine Tango collection to bring the mystery and allure of the Buenos Aires Tango barrio to life.

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This is our newest and most sought-after piece – the Argenkey.  Antique keys from the Tango neighborhood of Buenos Aires, each unique necklace will enchant you to unlock the secrets of the Barrio de Tango. Straight from Buenos Aires, this gorgeous long necklace features a real vintage brass key from the neighborhood where the Argentine Tango was born a century and a half ago. Wear this key and transport yourself to the alluring cobbled streets and creaking wooden doors of La Boca in Argentina. Try it in any door you please – this key may just open the door to your dreams.  

Find your Argenkey at the Tucson Museum of Art.

Tango Fashion and a bit of Tango History

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

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We’re obsessed with the Argentine Tango.  We found these gorgeous old postcards that date to the beginning of the Argentine Tango craze that swept the world in the Edwardian era.   These picture postcards from days gone by show the glamour, the sophistication, and the fashion of the early days of Tango.

The dance of the Tango originated in the ports of Buenos Aires, where immigrants from all over the world came to live in the 1880s.  Bringing together cultural elements of French, Italian, African-descent, German, and other groups, the Tango was originally danced only by men with one another, as women weren’t allowed in bars.

Bit by bit, the first women to dance Tango were actually prostitutes.  Soon, the dance grew too popular to contain to the La Boca port area.

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In the early nineteen teens, Tango had so taken Paris by storm that it soon became the hottest fashion in “cultured societies” around the globe.

These long mermaid style dresses allowed early Tango dancers to keep their torsos still while their feet could engage in graceful, increasingly complicated footwork and “adorno” flourishes.

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Paris Tango:  “Sometimes one must do a bit of balancing.  But the dance at its heart leaves itself open for freedom.”

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This postcard shows a unique look at early 20th century Tango fashion on ice.  In an era when the sight of a woman’s ankle created scandal, these sleeveless numbers would have been very over-the-top for women of the time.

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This beautiful example of early Tango fashion showcases a pompadour hairstyle (circa around 1905), a flowing Edwardian era skirt with slit, and understated, timeless jewelry that enhances the elegance of the look.

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“The Tango of To-Day” shows an evolving Tango style that coincided with increasing women’s rights.  A shorter 1920s haircut for the lady, as well as a flowing skirt that hints at pants, clearly enabled women to more freely move and dance more independently of their partners.

Inspired by the romance of the Argentine Tango?  We are too.  Head over to http://www.bellaargetina.com to see how this artistic Tango inspiration comes to life in the form of handmade sterling silver tango jewelry.

Five tips on how to tap into your creativity as a designer

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

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Five tips on how to tap into your creativity as a designer:  latest update in The Fashion Potential:  http://ht.ly/uVAdi

Buenos Aires Ambassador

Courtney Williams-Bella Argentina

As an emerging designer your identity is closely tied with your ability to bring fresh ideas to the fashion world.  But what happens if you hit a creative roadblock?  Here are five ideas to keep your creativity flowing for your designs.

1.)  For awhile, forget you’re a designer

Sometimes, the more pressure you put on yourself to maximize your potential as a designer, the more you’ll find yourself hitting the boundaries of your creative limits.  Periodically leaving behind your identity as a designer and enabling yourself to express yourself in other ways will help you to transfer new ideas to your work.  Use a different canvas:  try making a new type of cuisine, try painting, or learn a new dance.  You may be surprised by how much more fluid your ideas become.

2.)  Travel

Not everyone can pick up and go to faraway places.  However, you don’t have to cross an ocean or take a traverse a hemisphere in order to reap the benefits of getting out of your routine.  Even if you go to a part of your town you don’t normally visit, seeing new people, trying new food, and changing your perspective will awaken your senses and help you see your craft in a new way.

3.)  Read

The best writers have often been said to be the most diligent readers.  This makes sense:  people that constantly open up their mind to new information have more to share with the world.  How does this apply to fashion?  The world of design changes at an incredibly rapid pace.  Taking time to gather new information not only improves your credibility as a designer, it can also lead to innovative ideas that apply to your work.  Moreover, when you share new ideas, you enhance your value in the market.

4.)  Meditate

Scientists are finding more and more connections between lower stress and greater productivity.  If you spend as little as five minutes per day breathing deeply, you may find an enhanced ability to focus on the tasks at hand and ability to prioritize what needs to be done next.

5.)  Just do it

Try to avoid getting into a block that causes you to stop working on a new piece or a new collection.  In the design world, sometimes the best ideas are a result of just doing a project and seeing what happens as the result comes to fruition.

Happy designing!

Tucson Tango Festival

28 Friday Feb 2014

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Getting really excited about the Tucson Tango Festival!  Last year, I volunteered, but this year, it’s time to get in on the action and dance.

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Tucsontangofestival.com

The Tucson Tango Festival is in its 7th year and is amassing an impressive group of participants.  Instructors from all over are coming to impart knowledge, including Maria Olivera & Gustavo Benzecry Saba from Argentina, Jaimes Friedgen & Christa Rodriguez from Europe & USA, Brigitta Winkler & Jay Abling, also from Europe and the USA, among others.  With 10 Milongas, 33 Workshops to choose from, 6 hours of classes in the Beginners Track, 3 Practicas, DJ Classes, Lectures, a Guerrilla Milonga, Private Lessons and more, no matter where you hail from, it’s worth setting aside five days next month to experience the beauty of the Tango.

Learn-to-Tango.com founders Rusty Cline and Jo Canalli are the masterminds behind the Tucson Tango Festival.  They are both internationally acclaimed Tango dancers, as well as incredibly gifted instructors.  Just watching them is inspiring:

Their approach to Tango is to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for learning so that each student can reach their highest potential at their own pace.  Rusty and Jo are friendly, caring, and truly concerned with sharing their knowledge and love of the Argentine Tango.

I highly recommend checking out the Tucson Tango festival (http://tucsontangofestival.com).  But prepare yourself:  participation may cause you to fall hopelessly in love with this dance. 🙂

Dancing in Buenos Aires

27 Thursday Feb 2014

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Dancing in Buenos Aires

Dancing in Buenos Aires

27 Thursday Feb 2014

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Dancing in Buenos Aires

Rain Crow Gallery

25 Tuesday Feb 2014

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Greetings all!  Some exciting news to report:  among the talented ceramic artists, painters, and jewelers with displays at all new Rain Crow Gallery in Tucson, Arizona, there’s a newbie…  Bella Argentina!  A selection of our prettiest handmade sterling silver and natural gemstone wares are now on display and available for purchase at the newest little art hub in the Southwest.

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Rain Crow’s first gallery art opening was in December, and this nook of bursting creativity is just growing and growing.  Fine artists from all over the Southwest have their work beautifully represented, including Carol Mullen, Eric Thompson, Judy Nakari, Connie West, Jane Buckman, and Robert Goldman, to name a few.  Check out http://www.raincrowgallery.com/index.php/featured-art to catch a glimpse of the talent that’s currently showing.

Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday and Saturday 10-6, and Friday 10-5:30.  Pop over to 204 W. Grant Road – you’ll be energized by the creative spirit and the warm hospitality at Rain Crow Gallery!

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Tango Legs

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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It’s a new year and the flow of Tango inspiration just keeps getting stronger. I am enamored with this beautiful video of Tango dancers in the heart of Buenos Aires. Filmed in Calle Florida in the Microcentro downtown in the city, these dancers perfectly display the elegance, romance, and drama of the Argentine Tango. The twists and turns of their legs inspires me to twist and turn wraps of sterling silver in the pieces of the new Bella Argentina jewelry collection. Watch and fall in love with the Tango.

What’s New in Argentina

10 Monday Feb 2014

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Greetings friends!  After a crazy-busy holiday season, we’re back!  Hope you have all been great!  Tango lessons, classes, and practice has given way to inspiration for the  design of new sterling silver and natural gemstone pieces.  We hope you’ll love the new collection.  Here’s a little eye candy of what we’ve got going on!

Bellapiano

So as you may know, we spent all summer in Argentina, and maybe you’re wondering what’s new in Argentina now.  From the States, we’re seeing the Argentine economy draw closer and closer to another economic meltdown.  For those of you familiar with recent Argentine history, hitting a valley in the economic cycle unfortunately seems to happen once every decade or so in this beloved country.  Right now, our friends and relatives in Argentina are facing devaluation of their currency, the Argentine Peso, and the inflation rate is estimated to reach nearly 40% this year.  What would you do if your salary dropped 20% in one week?  What would you do if food prices kept rising and rising?  Wouldn’t you want to hold your government accountable?  But that’s difficult when literally no one knows where the president is….

cristina_telegraphArgentine President Cristina Kirchner – photo courtesy of Daily Telegraph:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk

That’s what’s happening now, and Argentines are definitely feeling the brunt of the beginning of tougher economic times.  The bright spot is that the Argentine spirit is incredibly strong, and the entrepreneurial strength of the culture will help weather the storm.  Viva Argentina!