December 29, 2020
GRATITUTE AND OPTIMISM
2020 has been a challenging year for all and I am not an exception. It was the 26th year of running my studio and it has been full of surprises and I am grateful and humbled to say that many of them were pleasant, despite the collective trauma we were (and still are) going through. I received an outpouring of love and support from my family, friends, and clients and as we are about to ring in the new year I would like to say thank you:
to everyone who supported me by commissioning bespoke pieces despite the uncertainty of times
to everyone who purchased my work online (many of you for the first time!)
to everyone who scheduled their video consultations with me
to everyone who wore my work and introduced others to it
to everyone who replied to my emails with encouraging words
to everyone who liked, shared, and commented on my social media posts
to everyone who agreed to meet me on my terrace in the heat of the summer
to everyone who did not blink when I asked for curbside pick up (for everyone’s safety)
to Lia, Elizabeth, Jordan, and Jiahui for acting as my copy editors and writing advisors when I was lost for words
to Julian who delivered my work to clients on his motorbike through the worst of the raging pandemic in NYC
to the cousin of my client’s now-husband who drove 7 hours to deliver wedding jewelry for the bride and groom so they could exchange their rings and be adorned on their wedding day
and perhaps I am forgetting someone... please forgive me, 2020 has been quite a ride.
Cheers to 2021! My wish is for all of us to stay healthy and to come out as winners!
With love,
Jelena
November 13, 2020
Jelena Behrend, Vaginal Davis Presidential Gavel, 2020 for Participant Inc.
Jelena Behrend, Vaginal Davis Presidential Gavel, 2020. [DESCRIPTION: A gif of four images of a gavel, shown from each three-quarter view in clockwise succession. The gavel has a dark brown wood handle with gold head, onto which four horizontal bands are engraved, as well as the the words "SPEAKING FROM THE DIAPHRAGM" horizontally engraved in serif text beneath the lowest band.]
