Vickie Fremont

Artist Statement

My artistic goal, and the hope for accomplishment of my jewelry, is to strengthen and magnify the essence of the woman who wears it.

My use of discarded materials such as plastic, wire, wood and brass remnants, in conjunction with expensive amber, agate, Venetian beads and jade (to name a few) results in a much greater whole than might be expected from the sum of the parts. This is due to the spiritual energy that, I believe, flows through all of us when we allow it.

Beads are an integral part of African history from time immemorial. Beads functioned as money, indicated wealth, and sent coded messages and served as spiritual talismans. The language of the beads is spoken in my creations, and each wearer joins in the conversation.

Join the collected discards with the universally valued pieces. For example amber has the power to cleanse, regenerate, and opens the door to our creativity, and agate is known for helping one to look for solutions rather than dwell on problems and for helping one to explore unknown territory, and again, one’s own creativity.

My jewelry speaks about beauty as a source of empowerment. Each piece is unique, each woman is unique.

Biography

Education:
La Sorbonne: University of Paris, BA in Education (History /Geography) 1995
Assas: University of Paris, MBA in Business Management, 1985
Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris, BA in Fashion and Textile Design Technology, 1980
Jussieu: University of Paris, MA in Ethnology/Sociology/Anthropology, 1977
Caen: University of Caen (France), BA in Education (Spanish), 1975
Fluent French, English, Spanish and Portuguese
Excellent knowledge of African Arts and Crafts and environment-concerned designer
Vickie Fremont is an artist, designer and anthropologist.

With her dual background -- mother from Cameroon and French father -- Vickie Frémont has lived between two different cultures, two worlds. She speaks several languages (French, Spanish, Italian, English) She has traveled widely, and her formal education includes degrees in anthropology, language teaching, as well as applied and fine arts. She has an abiding passion for the art, culture and music of Africa. She says, "much more than as a teacher, I think of myself as someone who opens doors -- the doors inside us that make it possible to discover creativity and richer communication with other people."

She has developed programs for all ages based on recycling varied materials to make craft objects with an African inspiration.

As a Jewelry designer she said "My jewelry speaks about beauty as a source of empowerment. Each piece is unique, each woman is unique". She just created a jewelry collection for award winning designer Henry N. Jackson for his Spring 2010 Couture Collection for Michele Obama.

As a Designer, she claims that Simplicity is the real beauty She created collections of sweaters for well known such as Sonia Rykiel, Dorothee Bis Issey Miyake when she was living in Paris.