Laurel
Burch
artist spotlight
At
the age of 14, Laurel Burch left of her. Every Macy’s store in the US had an entire
her home in Southern California Laurel Burch section. The Chamber of Commerce in
with nothing more than a paper San Francisco named her Entrepreneur of the Year.
bag of clothing and the rare bone In 1991, realizing that she was now spending most
disease – osteopetrosis – she was born with. Homes of her time managing the 150 employees of her
changed as often as the years, and at the age of 19, she various offi ces and warehouses, and not enough
migrated north, with hair straight to her waist, skirts to time on her artwork, Laurel decided that her
her ankles, and a baby daughter on her back. With no company should get out of the wholesale business
job, no money, and no dreams, Laurel Burch reached and focus entirely on licensing her designs to
the Golden Gate of San Francisco. others.
It was 1965 and the Haight-Ashbury district of the Laurel’s design archive holds more than 50,000
city was fi lled with strange and colourful people. images. Chronicle Books published a successful
You could be yourself, do your own thing, and coff ee table book of her cat designs in 1997, and
wear fl owers in your hair. Part of Laurel’s search for the sheer variety of her work is a great attraction
to collectors. There are often over a thousand
Laurel Burch products available on eBay, with
“Being physically
pieces selling for ten or twenty times their
vulnerable is, in a lot of
original price. Laurel has performed hundreds of
ways, a tremendous
speaking engagements around the country. The
advantage in terms
subject of healing has always been close to her
heart, and many of her talks have dealt with the
of human wisdom.
use of art and creativity in the curative process.
“Being physically vulnerable is, in a lot of ways, a
My bone disease was my gift,” tremendous advantage in terms of human wisdom.
My bone disease was my gift,” she said. Laurel has
always lent her talents to a long list of charitable
connectedness could be seen in the old coins, bones, causes, designing book covers, posters, and murals
and beads she arranged into earrings and necklaces. around the issues that were of special concern to
Fascinated by her adornments, people began to ask her. She has received numerous awards, including
her where she got them, and her creations became the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the United
bridges to friendships and patrons. Whether selling Nations in 2006 for her dedication to human rights,
her wares from a table on the street or taking part and the Living Legacy Award from the Women’s
in an art fair, Laurel was inspired. Somehow, wire International Center in 2005, which is given to
hammered out on the back of an old frying pan women of excellence who are benefi ting mankind.
evolved into something with spirit and imagination, The universe of Laurel Burch continues to bring
and, for $2, one could acquire a pair of earrings enjoyment to friends, collectors, and kindred spirits
and enter the realm of Laurel Burch magic. Passion everywhere, and a sense that we are all from the
and perseverance eventually prevailed, and a small same tribe. Laurel said: “I refuse to have anything
business had blossomed by the 1970’s. Laurel began in my life that I can’t turn around into something
teaching others how to make jewellery, and sold her magical and beautiful. I just refuse. I won’t do it.”
designs to shopkeepers up and down the coast of
California. Laurel Burch Artworks
In 1972, she became the fi rst post-war American +1 800 556 5251
designer to manufacture jewellery in China and her www.laurelburch.com
designs started appearing in Vogue and Bazaar. Soon, info@laurelburch.com
she branched out from jewellery into other types of
original art in her studio, and began to make annual
trips to Bali, where she worked with traditional
woodcarvers to create masks and statues. By the mid-
1980’s, the former fl ower child was now the CEO of
46
a multi-million dollar business. Forbes ran a profi le
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