Randi + Aesa
A jeweler turned eclectic homeware + object maker? Yup, this is our idea of #lifegoals and Randi Mates of Aesa Jewelry is exactly that. With a background in history, Randi was first introduced to her passion for jewels while working in a museum and later fell head over heels when she witnessed the alchemy that is tied to the physical making of jewelry.
Recently, Randi has been focusing on making larger objects that reflect her desire for a sense of resplendent intimacy and sacred, personal objects. The one-of-a-kind, free-blown glass candleholders from the collection, Les Boules, are some of her favorite things that she has ever made. Each candleholder is a unique expression of form that is both sophisticated and playful. Randi works closely with the glass blowers to ensure that this spirit is alive in each unique piece. We are so excited to watch the brand move forward as Mates explores manifesting this sense of intimacy with larger scale objects. Here are five things you never knew about the “jack of all trades” herself. Enjoy!
Lightning Round: 5 Things you didn’t know about Randi Mates
1. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
An explorer! I was obsessed with the biographies of women who traveled and discovered the world on their own before it was acceptable, or safe, to do so. I would have happily become an archeologist, a historian, a diplomat, a doctor in pursuit of my desire to explore the world and to hopefully be of service to others while doing so. The journals I imagined writing! Florid to say the least!
2. Interiors or Exteriors?
At the intersection of both, a home that can be open to the elements, where we could be cozy, safe and breath freely and yet be experiencing and in reverential awareness of the elements. The romance of rain in an interior courtyard; the winds cooling the corners of a house with an expanse of open doors; the rhythms of your days when Mother Nature- the sun, moon, light and air- is dictating your activity in such a subtle yet influential way. Lushness in its original form!
3. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A botanist in the rainforest. Happy, healthy and a frequent dancer… a better cook, a deep laugher. Surrounded by people I love, and still making things.
4. What are you doing tomorrow?
Finishing up some reviewing some contracts, going to the beach, then lunch with my parents, then to a metal worker’s studio to consult on some mirrors I am making and then, finally, out for Negronis with a friend. I love summertime in the city when the days can feel so long and expansive in a decadent and fruitful way.
5. Your dream house would be where?
In the shade at the seaside, the sounds of the ocean and the sun my only time keepers.
Shop Randi’s Petite + Large Boules
