Judith Altman

I know this is supposed to be a blog about Mediterranean cooking but lately my love of cooking has been overshadowed with my love of design and pottery making.  I’ve been in my studio designing and making prototypes for a company I just started working with for Halloween 2014.

As an artist and entrepreneur navigating that balance has always been a dance for me.  I can get lost in what I am doing which is wonderful when you are working just for yourself and no one is waiting for you to finish a project.  Defining time into deadlines and have to’s is laborious but a must if you want to bridge art and commerce.   But, I am well beyond the age-old right brainer dilemma of  “where are my keys.”  Well that’s not including my recently lost keys because they are really lost and not just misplaced.  Cause, let me just tell you, there’s a difference……

Us right brainers have always sort of depended on the excuse that because we are such wonderful “artist” we can sort of get away with not… hmmm, umm,..being on time or maybe taking, horrors of all horrors , too long to do a spread sheet.   When I say to long I mean way too long.  They hurt my brain.

Unfortunately my friend Judith sort of ruins that whole shtick for the rest of us.  She’s one of those rare Goddess of Goddesses who has the command of both sides of her brain.   When all of my thoughts try to speak at once Judith’s seem to have some manners and wait their turn.  There is a calm resonance about her that is reassuring.

A History of Art major with an MBA.  Really?? Judith left a successful corporate career to launch Judith Altman Designs. Her jewelry is elegant but powerful.  Tribal beads, antique carved jade all tell a story of cultures past and present.  She manages to weave a story with the elements she chooses.  The people, places and cultures, nostalgic but completely relevant to who we are today.  Balance at it’s best.

“My goal is to offer beautiful jewelry that women can wear to express their sense of self and style.  I aim for my work to reflect the richness and meaning found in different cultures, and the breathtaking color and texture of nature.  All toward the celebrated, age-old tradition of self-adornment.”

These are just few of my favorites.  Check out her website, judithaltman.com While you are at it you’ve got to check out her blog.  She is also an amazing photographer!!

The reasons to hate her are plenty I know, but you just can’t.  Not only is she kind and generous.  She is even understanding when you forget your lunch date and don’t show up at all….. and then she’s still kind when you do it again.