Friend of a Friend: Donna Distefano
The content of this article is the opinion of the writer and was written for The Source
Donna Distefano trained at FIT and was the senior goldsmith at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her atelier is in New York City. Photo credit: Mathieu Jean
Friend of a Friend: Donna Distefano
Meet a friend of a friend within the jewelry world, and occasionally beyond!
The inaugural interview with a Friend of a Friend for EM’s Findings is Donna Distefano.
Donna is a goldsmith par excellence, who has owned Donna Distefano Ltd. in New York City for over twenty-five years. Her work is handcrafted in 22 karat gold and draws upon references from art history and music. She has presented papers on Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy in both English and Italian. She is, dare we say, a Renaissance woman! [Full disclosure for the sake of transparency: Donna was my first goldsmithing instructor and is a member of Ethical Metalsmiths.
Christina Malle: Please tell us where you are, what beverage you are enjoying, and one sentence about your day so far.
Donna Distefano: I am on my front steps at 4pm in Chelsea, NYC, drinking a strong coffee with my friend Linda, who is a poet. Today I worked on a Spotify playlist called Skull.Snake.Flowers that was inspired by, or inspired my collection by the same name. Then I went for a walk with Linda.
CM: How did you first get involved in the jewelry world, or in the professional orbit in which you work now?
DD: I went to an alternative high school and took a jewelry making class at the University of Bridgeport when I was sixteen. My mother saw my strong interest in jewelry that stood out to her beyond my other creative interests. She recommended the Fashion Institute of Technology. (FIT).
CM: Are you a smith/maker? Do you routinely get your hands dirty/chapped/filed/tripolied and rouged? If not, who fabricates on your behalf?
DD: I am a smith.
CM: How did you first start learning about issues of environmental impact, responsible sourcing and green practices in the jewelry world?
DD: I was interested in learning where my materials came from. The information was not readily available when I started, but I learned from reading and networking with smart people. There was no internet. Tim McCreight was and is my favorite teacher. In the late 80’s my interests were already in politics and the social well being of my fellow human. As the 90’s approached, I began asking questions about how my materials came out of the earth and how it impacted the planet. I have vivid recollection of the scoffs from within our industry. It seemed that very few people wanted to know, learn or hear about it.
CM: Do you have go-to vendors or suppliers whom you find trustworthy?
DD: Yes: Hoover & Strong, United Precious Metals, Daniel Casting, and Columbia Gem House. Then in 2009 or so I developed a relationship with CGH [Columbia Gem House]. Earl Allen was a strong influence in those days.
Please list five things our readers can do to make their bench, studio workspace or business more ethical, responsible or ‘green.’
Join Ethical Metalsmiths or network with like-minded individuals.
Read and do your own investigative work. Read up on what groups like JVC are up to.
Don’t forget your tools. Know where they are made. Sometimes cheaper tools can be faulty and dangerous.
Recycle safely; remember to think of the local people too. Professionals who pick up your trash can be injured by your waste. Be mindful of the myriad materials we work in. And while you’re at it, remember your own safety; keep your workshop separate from your kitchen! Never mix coffee cups and spoons with your working tools.
Reading what other companies are doing to help is important. Without looking to point blame, it’s important to call out mistakes that you might see in a magazine, like “24 karat rose gold.”
CM: What books are on your bedside table?
DD: Marco Santagata “Dante: The Story of His Life.” To me it’s a new take on what it was like to live in Florence when the streets were dark and dodgy, before the Duomo was built. I like how this author considers Dante’s social and political environment in the medieval world.
CM: Favorite websites, authors, books, podcasts?
DD: I’m bananas for Dior. Jim Shepard is a genius. Frankenstein is my favorite book. The History of Rome podcast is a go-to lately.
CM: Dependable aesthetic inspirations? Visual, musical, written…
DD: The Metropolitan Museum Of Art. Queen, Lady Gaga, Aerosmith. Anything written or created by David Lynch.
CM: Helpful mantras that keep you motivated, balanced or just plain sane?
DD: “When you get to a fork in the road, take it!” -Yogi Berra. That was always page one of my Business Plan. Also, Dante’s opener to Purgatory: “For better waters heading with the wind, my ship of genius shakes off her sail, leaving behind an ocean of despair.” That is from memory and it’s one of my favorite translations.
CM: Favorite way to unwind, relax, gain perspective…
DD: Yoga and meditation, taking walks on the mighty Hudson. Reading poetry. I’ve taken a liking to MasterClass that Instagram advertised. I signed on a year ago because of David Lynch. Now I watch all of them. I especially loved Spike Lee, Werner Herzog, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Billy Collins. I am just about to listen to Paul Krugman “Teaches Economics and Society.” I like listening to these speakers a lot. It gives my mind a break from jewelry. I like to hear how their journeys or creative strategies relate to mine. In that respect, I suppose I really never stop thinking of jewelry.
CM: Any triumph, big or small, you would like to share, along with a takeaway?
DD: I’m a small business owner incorporated in New York City, 26 years ago. I’m 100% owner, 100% woman-owned. Takeaway: Love what you do with total devotion. It was not handed to me. Passion and perseverance and never letting go of your own vision are essential.
CM: Any set-back you would like to share, along with a takeaway?
DD: I survived the 2008 market crash even though I had the floor pulled out from under me. There was no support whatsoever available to my business. For years after, I had to work full time to get small bits of financing that were part of a system that was stacked against the small businesses. I did not have time to grow or expand my collection for many years. I never had the time to roll out all of my ideas. Takeaway: It was a systematic house of cards. I am a smart business person. Yeah!
Donna Distefano, owner, designer and goldsmith at Donna Distefano Ltd. Donna has also lectured on Dante and the use of gemstones in his The Divine Comedy. Photo Credit: Sean Younger Thomas
CM: How can we, all of us, collectively, make the world a more harmonious and just place?
DD: Vote. Pay attention to world events. Don’t get your news from Facebook. Read read read. Meditate. Love everyone.
CM: If you could shadow any jeweler or maker, dead or alive, while he/she/they worked in the studio, who would it be?
DD: Faberge.
CM: Are there any other artistic or creative people, dead or alive, you find yourself thinking about constantly for inspiration in your work? Artistically or business-wise.
DD: JAR.
CM: Advice to a recent college graduate or anyone starting out in a new job?
DD: Shadow your teacher or mentor. Offer a lot of yourself to the process. Don’t expect to get paid a lot. Don’t attempt to take over the world (right away). Give more of yourself. Do the work. Suck it up. If you’re uncomfortable, you’re probably learning something valuable.
All jewelry by Donna Distefano, whose atelier is in Manhattan’s Flatiron district.
Photo Credit: Sean Younger Thomas
CM: What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out as a maker/entrepreneur/artist/innovator….?
DD: Follow your own heart. I wish I knew not to listen to industry so-called experts. There were bankers, journalists, gallery owners, and CPAs who didn’t understand my mission 20 to 25 years ago (the mission has remained unchanged). There were close relations who said “get a real job”. I am grateful to my mother and father and family for their never-ending encouragement and my parents pouring-over of love. I am grateful for my husband Sean, who has always stood by me and contributed enormously to my mission despite the obstacles.
“To succeed you must do what you think is right for you. The cliché is really true! JAR once told me to “stick to your guns.” I will never forget that moment. ”
CM: What question(s) did I not ask, and what is your reply?
DD: How do you survive during catastrophe? Be brave. Do your best to think outside the box. Marketing and merchandising are so important. I remember reading Spike Lee’s story long before I watched his MasterClass. What stuck with me many years ago was that nothing was handed to him and he seemed to have a fearlessness about him, putting creativity and devotion of his craft first.
