About the Parsons Collection
The Parsons collection reflects Mimi's desire to encourage the power of hope and creativity. The collection, named after her alma mater, honors the time she spent exploring the creative arts – a journey she started during adolescence.
My inspiration for the Parsons collection struck during the pandemic. Uprooted from my daily routine, I felt trapped, literally, and metaphorically, secluded from my friends and family and a sense of normalcy. Once it was safe to visit my father, I decided it was also the perfect time to put my anxiety to good use. I needed a project.
My new endeavor, a home makeover of sorts, involved clearing out the basement of my childhood home, which also meant sorting through forty-plus years of family history. Perhaps I was subconsciously seeking reasons to see my father, even if it was from afar. Regardless, I was grateful for the distraction. It gave me a sense of control during a time when I, like everyone else, felt helpless.
During the process, I rediscovered my old school supplies, mementos I assumed had been lost to time. Nostalgia took over as I uncovered countless joyful works of art on watercolor paper, oil, and acrylics on canvas, all scattered throughout the space. Flashbacks from early childhood to adolescence played in my mind.
As I browsed my portfolio, I relived the many inspiring projects that were assigned during my time at Parsons School of Design. At 18, I had a youthful misconception that art school was going to be an easy road. Instead, it challenged me to my core; I cherished the experience because it taught me to expand my thought process. At Parsons, I honed my artistic eye, developed critical skills, and a way of tackling creative obstacles that set me up for my work today as a jewelry designer.
Looking back all those years ago to the first time I held a paintbrush, I felt free and powerful. The seemingly small act of color selection was a commitment; each choice I made gave me a rush of adrenaline. From a blank canvas, I watched my thoughts unfold while layers of paint grew into bold shapes and forms. I love to create because it allows me to express my emotions unfiltered.
Art is about vulnerability. It's a true expression of your most authentic self. You feel naked at times while waiting for critics' comments. In my opinion, art cannot be rushed or forced, but it can be encouraged. The message any artist creates can be powerfully moving when the delivery is clear. There is something about art that's infinite to me, it's like trying to grab air. – XO Mimi
"Paint your dream," the first series in this collection of fine jewelry, is a call to embrace your creativity and celebrate the artist within.