Meet Trailblazer Monica Cardone

Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Cardone.

Monica, before we jump into specific questions about your art, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Being born and raised in South Florida, I’ve always been drawn to the ocean. I was always begging my mom to take me to the beach… because I was happiest playing in the water whether it was below the surface swimming and snorkeling or above it surfing the waves. I always say that I could judge how much fun I had by how much sand ended up in my swimsuit!

As you can imagine, beachcombing was a natural part of being a “beach kid,” and over the years, my shell collection has become vast. Jump to a few years later, when in my early 20’s, I was on a surf trip to Baja, Mexico with my boyfriend… while searching among the beach rocks, I came across these tiny little pieces of glass of green and blue tumbled into frosty little pieces of intrigue. Come to find out this was called sea glass and therein started my obsession with it.

“What happened next,” you ask? Well, I’ll tell ya… Marriage (not to the “surf trip boyfriend”, mind you), three kids, and a desire to use my artistic compulsion led me to start attending jewelry making classes in Santa Barbara. After learning the basics, I started thinking of how I could use my collection of sea glass in my jewelry designs. Since then, sea glass has become the centerpiece of my designs and I started my jewelry company in 2007 selling online and at fine art shows.

So here’s where it starts to get good… in 2013, one of my girlfriends invited me to walk an ancient medieval pilgrimage called The Camino de Santiago de Compostella in Spain in the summer of 2014. Walking 500 miles across northern Spain up and down steep mountains for a month with just a backpack will teach you something, right? I gotta say THAT experience was the tipping point of my life. It was one of the BEST and HARDEST things I’ve ever done. The two things I learned from that experience: First, “I can do really difficult things. I can figure out whatever comes my way”. Second, “Don’t let fear be my advisor”.

These underpinning lessons fueled my next and current season of life. The year after I walked the Camino, I was able to spend a few weeks in Florence, Italy returning to the city I had fallen in love with years ago and to work on my jewelry skills. Out of that experience, I created the Metalsmiths in the Florence workshop. This weeklong experience gives other metalsmiths from around the world the opportunity to have an amazing time living like a local and enjoying Florentine life with art, food, wine tasting, and creating jewelry. The passion I have for both metalsmithing and sharing my love for all things Florence has given me a profound joy that excites me everyday. And now, I’ve expanded into other retreat/workshop experiences in Florence that receive glowing feedback.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has this been a smooth road? Good grief no! I struggled with feeling inferior based solely on the fact I never attended university. I also struggled with the relationship with my mom as well as my marriage relationship. I struggled with doubt, insecurity, and the paralyzing fear of “what if?”. There are so many facets to this question, but let’s just say the lessons I learned from walking the Camino came into play when I asked myself about the idea of the workshop I wanted to create in Florence. I had to push past the fear of not knowing how to make it happen, but I knew I was damn smart, so I just kept pushing through the fear, did the footwork, found people that knew more than me, and worked with them to forge ahead. And now, I find myself in an amazing season of life splitting my time between California and Florence doing what I love.

My advice for other women and particularly younger women (since I have three amazing young adult daughters) is this: Don’t let fear be your advisor. Fear keeps you small, scared, and unable to step into and use the gifts and abilities that you have been given. You are never stuck and you always have a choice in whatever circumstance you find yourself in. You can figure it out.

We’d love to hear more about your art.
My work is comprised of two different things. For my jewelry, I would say that I specialize in, and am known for, my sea glass jewelry designs. Not only sea glass but sea stones and other found objects as well. I combine gold, silver, sometimes diamonds, and other fun things. It gives a sense of the dichotomy between what may be seen as “lowly” sea glass (technically refuse) and the higher end of precious 22k gold or a diamond. I make jewelry for women who want an emotional connection to their jewelry. Women who are one-of-a-kind and want one-of-a-kind jewelry that brings them joy every time they wear it.

As for the Metalsmiths in Florence workshops, I host and facilitate, the theme of “fear” is almost an underpinning purpose. I want all the participants in the workshop to get over their fear of working with gold… because it can be intimidating to some metalsmiths. I am so stoked when my guests get stoked not only to be in Italy but to also develop connections with the team of people that I work with that have become like family to me. I mean come on… to get to spend a week in Florence learning from a Florentine master goldsmith, exploring art museums, wine tasting in Chianti, staying in a frescoed palazzo in the artisan neighborhood… that can be life-changing! My biggest compliment is that I get returning participants every year… someone pinch me please! 😉

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
Interesting question, and it’s a big one. But I will keep it simple and just say that I think women are incredibly powerful if we just let ourselves be. Sometimes that can come at a cost, and I have paid dearly, but I think we can create some of our own opportunities if we let ourselves push past some of the fears we have. I know that may sound trite and “easy for me to say”, but at a base level, this is true.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ciaomonica.com
• Instagram: ciaomonica_
• Facebook: Ciao Monica
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/MetalsmithsInFlorenceWorkshop/

Image Credit:
Monica Cardone, Isabella Branstrom, Kalli Ostner

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