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Beauty + Resilience Through Ceramics

May 04, 2022

Meet Valentina Ferrada Aguilar, a ceramic artist, jewelry designer, and founder of Chercán Project. Valentina is originally from Santiago, Chile, but recently relocated to Washington, DC. She is deeply passionate about creating and teaching and finds daily inspiration in nature’s resiliency and beauty. 

Valentina’s path to becoming a ceramic artist and jewelry designer was anything but typical. She studied journalism for three years but felt something was lacking, so she quit journalism and took up the arts. 

Her first ceramics course under the industrial design program she enrolled in did not go so well. In her own words, “I failed it.”  So what did she do? She registered for a second course, and through this course met a professor and mentor in one who taught her everything she knows. But, maybe more importantly, according to Valentina, “He really inspired me to do what I love.”  

Ceramics flourished from hobby to business as she began experimenting with making smaller ceramic pieces using her father’s old (and very small) kiln. A classmate asked her if she could create some ceramic jewelry, and well, the rest is history. In Valentina’s mind, all these pieces came together at exactly the right time—access to the kiln, a great mentor, and an interested “client.” 

Valentina launched Chercán Project as part of her thesis in 2018. In Spanish, chercán means wren, and Valentina tells the story of a small wren she once observed, working day in and day out to make a nest for her eggs. One day, the nest was destroyed, but that did not stop this wren. She went right back to work, building a new nest.  

"That wren and his story resonated a lot with me because that's exactly how I felt when my mom died a few years ago. I felt like I lost everything, but I got back up for her. Everything that inspires me is also from my mother. For what I saw in me reflected in this resilient wren. It’s beautiful.”  

That wren and his story resonated a lot with me because that's exactly how I felt when my mom died a few years ago. I felt like I lost everything, but I got back up for her

Valentina sees herself in the story of the wren and tries to capture the same resilience in each piece that she designs for the collection. Take her tulip earrings, for example. The tulip comes up each spring after enduring a long, cold winter. It’s resilient. (Fun fact: Valentina’s favorite flowers are tulips, and she had a tulip bouquet at her wedding. You can read more about the earrings here.)  

The collection also includes  sun and moon earrings, representing the resiliency of our universe. According to Valentina, “I am very struck by the fact that everything in our universe is perfectly and calculatedly designed, and everything has a balance, and these earrings represent that, the balance, day and night, Yin and Yang, light and darkness, etc. 

The entirety of her art is in fact a tribute to resilience. As Valentina notes, it takes a lot of practice to make such small pieces. A lot of fails too. “Fail to fail to fail to succeed.” At the start, Valentina would make 100 earrings to achieve 20 perfect earrings. It was that powerful mix of frustrating and rewarding.  

"Ceramics itself is so unpredictable. You have the paint, and the glaze, but you can’t see how it is going to look until it comes out of the kiln. You have to cross your fingers and say, ‘See you in two days!’” 

“I never thought that I’d end up at this point in the project. I always had this feeling that I wanted to create my own business, never thought it would be so soon. I also thought it would be easier. I love it though. I can create my own stuff, and I love it when people see my artwork and they get excited about it, or they can relate to it. I think it’s the most beautiful thing when you give jewelry, and they feel pretty and happy.” 

So where does Valentine see herself in the future? She would love to have her work featured in a museum. She would also love to stay in DC a while and watch her business grow up. If (or when) she goes back to Chile, she would like to teach and one day establish a community arts workshop like the Capitol Hil Arts Workshop (CHAW) on Captial Hill. In her own words, “I’d love to create my own Chilean CHAW. Inspire people of all ages to be artists and help them incorporate the arts into their lives.”  

You can view Valentina’s collection of Artifcts here and more of her work at Chercán Project 

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© 2022 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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It Wouldn't Be Thanksgiving Without, Part II

Dear Readers, 

Can you believe it’s been three years since we last talked about “It Wouldn’t Be Thanksgiving Without...”? Wow, how the time has flown.  

At the time, we were all emerging from our post-COVID days (or maybe even daze) trying to re-imagine what Thanksgiving may be like with limited travel and mask-optional gatherings. Fast forward to 2024 and a record number of Americans are expected to take to the roads, skies, and rails this Thanksgiving week to visit friends and family near and far.  

And, thus, as you are finishing your shopping and moving on to the kitchen prep, we’re encouraged to ask you anew: What would it simply not be Thanksgiving without for you? 

It Wouldn’t Be Thanksgiving Without... 

While in our household, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without my mother’s tea breads, and in particular her banana bread, our list of what makes the Thanksgiving cut has grown over the past three years.  

New to the list? The roasted heirloom carrots that first adorned our Thanksgiving table in 2022. Our youngest was adamant that we make a batch the week before Thanksgiving “just to test things out,” and our family who is hosting this year has already asked us to come with carrots in hand. And before you ask, yes, we checked, and these carrots are not part of the massive recall by the US Food and Drug Administration. Have you checked yours? 

Another new(er) addition is Mom’s Cranberry Sauce, although it was always a staple for me, even if my siblings didn’t have a taste for it. Now that our crew has grown, and palates have matured, the cranberry sauce is a much sought-after item, possibly tying the bread stuffing for second place in the Thanksgiving sides hall of fame. 

And although it is not a culinary creation per se, Grandmom’s China now adorns our Thanksgiving table. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving (or really, any holiday!) without her world-traveling china. I love the china not just because of the pattern, but because of the stories behind it; Grandmom’s story and now our story, too.

 

Artifcts Circles: Organize and Share Those Memories 

As our kids have grown, and our guest list has expanded to include family overseas, I’ve started to use Artifcts to organize and share our holiday adventures. The last year I hosted Thanksgiving for our motley crew, I created an Artifcts Circle to record and share not only the recipes and important “how-to” tips, but also the stories and memories behind the actual day, because let’s face it, sometimes as host(ess) it’s easy to overlook the small moments when trying to get a 25-pound turkey on the table on time.  

 

Having created the Circle back in 2022, I’ve been able to refer to it year after year. I’ll check the Circle the week before to quickly make sure I’ve got all the ingredients I need for all our favorite recipes. Pulling out every last cookbook to find the various recipes is never tops on anyone’s list.  

And if the kids or other family members ask for a specific recipe, no problem! With a single click I can send them the Artifct, with the recipe, notes, and even a short how-to video included. A small miracle when you’re trying to juggle a holiday meal for 12.  

Intrigued? Click the image below to view a short video about how to create an Artifcts Circle and invite others to join in on the fun! 

 
Want more information about how to create culinary Artifcts for your circle? Check out our ARTIcles story: Your Digital Cookbook Meets Culinary Scrapbook.  

In closing, I invite you, Dear Reader, to join me in Artifcting your favorite family recipes this holiday season. Keep the traditions alive and share the love (or at least the banana bread). 

Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Artifcting, 

Heather 

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Insurance & The Art of Artifcts

Creating an Artifct is often a joyful experience, sometimes it is also cathartic, and for many Artifcting has become their preferred means of planning for their today and for their future. Insurance fits into that final category of Artifcts: preparedness. 

As you update your policies or renew in the new year, consider: Do you have enough insurance coverage for your valuables? Are you over insured? Do you have the documentation necessary to file a claim if mother nature, theft, or an accident forces your hand? Is an appraisal needed for a valuable item in your collection?

Ironically, in a 2020 poll from the Insurance Information Institute, fewer homeowners reported having a home inventory than a decade prior, despite increased familiarity with and options for digitization of photos, documents, and more as well as a proliferation of inventory apps for home goods and collections.

In 2020, fewer homeowners reported having a home inventory than a decade prior, despite increased familiarity with and options for digitization of photos, documents, and more as well as a proliferation of inventory apps for home goods and collections.

It’s human nature to avoid the negative, the improbable, and any issues that aren’t about today. But here at Artifcts, you’ll not only be able to create a record of items that are of greatest value to you, but in the process, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy reliving and sharing your stories and passions with others, too. 

Artifcts to Support Insurance 

When you create Artifcts with insurance coverage in mind, there are a few best practices to guide you. 

      • Photos and video. Take advantage of the five photos and/or videos you can add to each Artifct. Take a picture of the object as a whole, take another picture of a maker’s mark, if any, and then photograph the item from other angles. We also strongly encourage you to record and include a short video of the object, showing it from multiple angles. 
      • Documentation. Take a moment to find the receipt, appraisal, certificate of authenticity, or, if nothing else, a credit card statement that can help validate the original market price paid and the authenticity of the item. Attach it to your Artifct. When you acquire new items of value or collectibles, we recommend you Artifct That on the spot, when everything you need is at hand. This is a habit that will serve you well! 
      • Provenance. Where did it come from? Why do you have it? What does it mean to you? Even if you have only family lore of where an older item came from, record that in the “Description or story” of the Artifct.  

If you purchased it, describe where and when you were when you acquired the item and what makes it valuable to you. No, sentiment is not a qualifier in appraisal or replacement value, but it will be important to helping you get the right coverage and setting your own expectations for items you value.  

      • Add optional details. In your Artifct, click to view the “Full Form” and include how old it is, when you acquired it, and the marketplace or artist it’s from to facilitate an appraisal and any future insurance claims. We also strongly encourage to add its current physical “location.” And tag the item, e.g., #insurance, to easily sort your Artifcts by items you have, or want to have, added to your policy.  

Determining the Value of Your Belongings 

If you’re not sure of the value of an item in your collection, but suspect it’s valuable and want expert insight, you can Artifct That and then click “What’s it worth?” to share the Artifct and its supporting documentation privately with Heritage Auctions. They will assign your Artifct to the appropriate expert to review.  

You will receive a notification automatically in a few weeks when the free valuation is ready. You’ll find the valuation report in the documentation section of your Artifct. With the information from the valuation in hand, you can decide what to do next.  

Here's an example: You inherited a clock from your grandfather. You love it because it reminds you of him, always positioned on the bookcase next to his favorite reading chair, and you know he brought it with him to the United States from his homeland, Japan. The free valuation from Heritage Auctions informs you that that clock, in that condition, from that maker, in today’s market would go for between $18,000 and $22,000.  

You may think to yourself, “I better get an appraisal and confirm that it’s covered by my insurance policy.” Or you may think, “I loved Grandpa, but that clock is not that valuable to me. I’m going to sell it and use that money for {whatever you like}.” 

Before you sell a family heirloom or anything you value, you should consider these tips from Lark Mason, an expert in Chinese art and antiquities and frequent host on Antiques Roadshow. Read now! 

Insurance: Fact or Fiction 

We’ll close out this focus on Artifcts for insurance by revisiting our popular “Fact or Fiction?” discussion we had last fall with Howard Insurance, a private insurance advisory and risk management firm, about how to protect your ‘stuff’ from the chaos and mayhem that is life.

We invite you to test your knowledge with our "Insurance: Fact or Fiction" quiz, and then see what the experts have to say. (Hint: Answers are below.) We hope each point will build your confidence to take the necessary steps to protect all you cherish! 

      1. I need an appraisal to insure an item separate from my homeowner's policy.
      2. My homeowner's policy will pay to replace items even if my jewelry, antiques, silver or fine art has appreciated in value.
      3. All homeowners' policies are the same and include the coverage for everything in my home.
      4. Coverage for my personal trust is automatically included in my homeowner's policy.
      5. All homeowners' policies include coverage for mysterious disappearance.
      6. My personal property coverage is worldwide.
      7. Coverage for my personal property includes water damage, hurricanes and floods.
      8. There is no deductible for losses to my personal property.
      9. Filing a claim for my personal property will not impact my homeowner's premium.
      10. Mysterious disappearance coverage is included automatically on valuables policies. 

As the fact-fiction quiz reveals, picking the right policy or combination of policies is critical to protecting your ‘stuff,’ and worth a conversation with your agent. Watch the video replay with Howard Insurance for the full details behind each of these fact or fiction questions. 

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Evenings with Artifcts Fall 2024 Series, Workshop Style

Fall is here and with it comes everything pumpkin spice, cooler nights, and the return of Evenings with Artifcts! This fall our 5-part series is centered on interactive workshops that allow YOU, our Arti Community members, to follow along with us as we delve into the details of how to Artifct photos, ephemera, and everything baby, just to name a few.

No guilt tripping or extreme minimalism hacks here. We'll talk frameworks to tackle the sentimental clutter and photos, and invite you to take a fresh look at your legacy and life stories through the lens of Artifcts. We'll highlight key features and time-saving tips and provide you plenty of time to follow-along at home as you capture, preserve, and share YOUR story, YOUR memories, one object at a time. And to that end, each workshop will also lean on one of our many free checklists to help inspire our conversation. 

Mark your calendars for Wednesday evenings at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET from October 16th through November 13th. Look for event and RSVP details each week in our e-newsletter and on our social media channels (Instagram and Facebook). And please share with friends, family, and others you meet. The more the merrier!

If you missed any of our past Evenings with Artifcts, catch up now!

 
 
 
 

ENJOY A RECAP OF EVENINGS WITH ARTIFCTS, FALL '24

 

Evenings with Artifcts Decluttering Workshop

Week 1: Decluttering Made Easy

DECLUTTERING, WORKSHOPS

 

Related content: 

- Watch the replay on YouTube ->

- Sign in & download our free Decluttering checklist

- More decluttering strategies on our blog ARTIcles by Artifcts

Save & Share Old Photos

Week 2: Sharing Photos & Stories

With special guest Kristen Goodman of Clicking with Kristen

PHOTOS, OTHER MEDIA, WORKSHOPS

 

Related content: 

- Watch the replay on YouTube ->

- Explore classes from The Photo Managers and the upcoming virtual conference

- Sign in & download our free Rescue Those Photos checklist

- Much more on photos and other media over on ARTIcles by Artifcts

Building a Baby Book

Week 3: Building a Digital Baby Book

KIDS, WORKSHOPS

 

Related content: 

- Watch the replay on YouTube -> 

- Sign in & download our free Oh Baby! checklist

- Enjoy the ARTIcles story, The Baby Book That Wasn't

Evenings with Artifcts Paper Organizing

Week 4: Organizing Your Ephemera

DIGTIAL SCRAPBOOKING, DECLUTTERING, WORKSHOPS

 

Related content: 

- Watch the replay on YouTube ->

- Sign in & download our free Get Papered checklist

- Dive into the ARTIcles stories, Swedish Death Cleaning & Your Next Move  and  Decluttering for Dementia: Paper Clutter

 

Preserving and Sharing Your Legacy

Week 5: Preserving & Sharing Your Legacy

With special guest Matt Paxton, star of Hoarders and PBS' Legacy List with Matt Paxton

LEGACY, PLANNING, WORKSHOPS

 

Related content: 

- Watch the replay on YouTube ->

- Sign in & download our free Legacy checklist

- Enjoy our most recent ARTIcles by Artifcts story on legacy: Can Chocolate Chip Cookies Be Your Legacy?

If you'd like to suggest a topic or speaker for future events, share with us at Editor@Artifcts.com.

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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