Even if you’re more klutzy than creative, Megan Avery and Michelle Figueroa can walk you through making a handbag or a necklace – and you’ll have a great time doing it!
Avery and Figueroa, both Hoboken residents, opened their studio in the Monroe Center for the Arts in Hoboken in March. They soon realized that they could open the space for hands-on “Make your Own” workshops in addition to selling their own designs.
Originally, they were running separate design businesses. Figueroa – who has owned her own handmade jewelry business, Mias Creations, for two years – happened across the Web site for Avery’s custom-made handbag business just over a year ago. Avery says Figueroa contacted her and asked if they could exchange links on their Web sites. Only then did they discover that they were also neighbors.
“I said, ‘Hey, I’m from Hoboken as well!’ ” Avery recalls.
Last September, just a few months after they met, the designing duo created Bella Arte, which they conceived of as a female artist collaborative that shows and sells the work of local women. In addition to an online shop, www.bellaarte.net, Bella Arte has a “funky, off-the-beaten path” retail boutique in Hoboken’s Monroe Center.
workshops
With their “Make your Own” workshops, Avery and Figueroa share their expertise and the tools of their trade with anyone who’d like to make a handbag or a necklace. And they’ve also expanded the class offerings for those interested in making their own mosaic mirror, knit scarf, or decoupage vase. Bella Arte also offers private parties, so you can book the studio for your own workshop to celebrate a birthday, throw a shower, or just for girls’ night out.
Avery – who has served as the sole designer for her handbag company, M. Avery Designs, for four years – allows students to choose a fabric from the dozens she uses to create her own designs. The fun and colorful fabrics include some vintage textiles that Avery buys on the auction site eBay.
Figueroa, whose handmade jewelry includes custom bridal pieces, works with those making their own necklaces. She provides an array of beads to choose from, including precious and semiprecious stones.
Bella Arte welcomes workshop participants with complimentary wine, appetizers, and other beverages, creating a festive atmosphere in their cozy and comfortable studio. And at the end of the evening, each woman goes home with a lovely accessory that’s uniquely her own.