Friday, December 4, 2009

2009 Dallas Rocks Charity Auction for D.E.F.

One-of-a-kind "Roman Nymph" Necklace

I was excited to participate in this year's Dallas Rocks / Diamond Empowerment Fund Charity Auction, which raises money to support higher education in South Africa! I decided to donate my "Roman Nymph" pendant, a one-of-a-kind piece made of 18k yellow "crushed" gold with Morganite, Tourmaline, Diamonds, and a lustrous Pink Freshwater Pearl. The winning bid also received one of my signature leather boxes and, of course, a chain to wear the pendant on.

If you've been reading my blogs, then you know I am currently working on a project for the Diamond Empowerment Fund; a stylish unisex Dog Tag that will help raise more money for this worthy cause. This project is still in the works, but I'll let you all know when the Dog Tag is available for purchase. I think I might even make a one-of-a-kind "blingy" version of the Dog Tag for next year's Dallas Rocks event!

Cheers & Crushes,
Pamela

More about the Diamond Empowerment Fund:
The Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F.) is a non-profit international organization founded by Russell Simmons, along with other individuals in the diamond and jewelry industries and others who are committed to the empowerment of Africa. D.E.F.'s mission is to raise money to support education initiatives that develop and empower economically disadvantaged people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource. CIDA City Campus in Johannesburg is D.E.F.'s first named beneficiary and a model for higher education in South Africa

CIDA (Community and Individual Development Association) was established to provide higher education designed to encourage human, economic and social development for the large population of South African youth living in disadvantaged communities. In 2000, CIDA City Campus was launched in Johannesburg, South Africa as Africa's first virtually free college, to provide opportunity for the huge numbers of students who had no access to furthering their education. The school combined self-development initiatives with an academic focus on a business degree program, along with skill-building programs for students not yet prepared for higher education. Student service to the school and the student's own community was also a fundamental principal.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry gets 3rd Magazine Cover this Year!! "Jewellery Business Magazine"


Hi Everyone!
The December issue of Jewellery Business Magazine just arrived, and we love the cover!
The beautiful Donna Feldman is wearing select 18k Yellow pieces from Pamela Froman's "Crushed" Collection:

"Abstract Crush" Earrings
"Sentimental Crush" Locket* on Lambskin Leather Cord
"Medusa's Crush" Cuff
and "Crushed Heart" Ring
*this one-of-a-kind Locket was recently sold, but Pamela has plans to make a new unique version of this piece.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Personal Appearance / Trunk Show at Hummingbird Jewelers!

Pamela Froman is bringing her award-winning fine jewelry to Hummingbird Jewelers in Rhinebeck, NY, this Thanksgiving Weekend. If you're in the area, stop by and say, "Hi!" Maybe you'll even discover your new Crush for the holidays...

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

CHURCHILLS PART II - KANSAS CITY

INVITE

Sally & Chris in front of Pamela's jewelry.

Chris, Pamela & Sally


Jewelry Displays at the Plaza location

Chris before going to Dinner
(he's wearing the Ombre Gothic Cross)

We spent 2 days at the Churchill's store in Kansas City, it is also a beautiful store! It was fun, lots of people from all over the country visiting, and the Churchill staff is all warm and welcoming.

CHURCHILL TRUNK SHOW PHOTOS AT FAIRWAY

Beautiful doors inside the store.

Inside one of the display cases.

Cool items to display the jewelry on...

Jilienne standing behind one of the displays.

Jilienne & Chris

Chris

Pamela & Chris

The first day of the trunk show at Churchill's in Kansas was at their flagship store in Fairway. It is a very cool store, filled with fabulous jewelry, cool handbags, clothes, shoes, accessories and antiques. The store's owner, Sally, is great, she has a wonderful energy about her, and great taste, and was a blast to be around! She knows how to engage everyone! Chris is the main guy at Churchill's, he is a great salesman, and everyone loves him! Kansas was such a great place, we loved it!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Pamela Froman featured in JQ's 2010 Trends issue!


We just saw the new JQ Magazine, their special "Ten Trends 2010" issue, and Pamela's designs are used to illustrate two of the trends!

#2, Unique Materials, shows Pamela's "Wrapped Cap" earrings with Lapis Lazuli and Diamonds. The Lapis earring is a one of a limited edition, but each pair is unique; some of the stones are flecked with gold! This earring style is also available with Rutilated Quartz, and other one-of-a-kind gems. The Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry Collection includes two other earring cap styles as well, most of which are one-of-a-kind!

#8, Symbolism, shows Pamela's beautiful "Ombre Gothic Cross", which "fades" from 18k White to Green to Yellow, finishing in a rich 22k; this particular piece is set with a deep red Garnet.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

CHURCHILL TRUNK SHOW



Heading to Kansas City for a Personal Appearance...Come join me at Churchill's 5240 Belinder Avenue, Fairway, KS, 66205

Looking forward to seeing you there!
Cheers & Crushes,
Pamela

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Fine Jewelry News Designer Spotlight on Pamela Froman!


The November issue of Fine Jewelry News just came out, and it features a great article about Pamela Froman! For those of you who don't have a subscription to this fabulous newsletter, I've transcribed the article below.

Designer Spotlight: Pamela Froman
by Jodi Goldberg

Imagine working every day in a studio that looks as if it’s sailing into the sky, flooded with natural light and filled with the soothing sounds of exotic birdsong and gently babbling fountains. That’s exactly the inspired setting where Pamela Froman pours creativity, joy, and a sense of well-being into each of her one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. She even has a plush, carpeted area for her four-year-old son, Hudson Elijah, to play while she dreams up new designs. Hudson’s picking up a thing or two from his mom while he plays. “This past Mother’s Day I had to follow a trail of Hudson’s dinosaurs and plastic bugs to my present,” Pamela recalls. “It was a sweet surprise. He made me a necklace with beads on it. I guess he is following in his mother’s footsteps, sort of!” Spoken like a daughter who followed her own mother’s artistic footsteps. “One of the most important ingredients in my love for art is my mother, Ann Froman,” the designer shares. Pamela’s mother is a renowned artist whose sculptures have been displayed in museums and galleries all over the world. Ann got her start as a shoe designer, and Footwear News’ fashion editor-at-large, Vivien Infantino, recalled meeting Ann and baby Pamela during an interview in the artist’s home years ago: “We were in the kitchen and [Ann] was making cereal for her baby and I remember that there were little figurines of clay everywhere. She was always sculpting.” Pamela’s own work has a wonderfully weathered, beautifully battered look with a rough-meets-refined feel. “I love irregular surfaces,” the designer explains, “so most of my pieces are textured with a special hand-hammering technique I call ‘Crushed.’” Combined with a satin finish created on a customized wire wheel, the Crushed texture gives a much softer, more feminine feel to the metal. Pamela worked with a jeweler/caster to painstakingly mix a signature palette of gold alloys that are muted and soft and look harmonious when she uses them together. “The colors of the metals are very important to me. I love to use 18k yellow, pink, and green gold with beautiful stones to create a contemporary look that can be worn with designer jeans on the weekend, or with a designer gown on the red carpet.” Pamela’s had the good fortune to be showered with awards and accolades from nearly every corner of the jewelry and fashion industry. This past June, Pamela was honored at the 2009 Couture Design Awards with the “Best in Bridal.” Her winning entry, the beautifully alternative “Crushed Mélange” bridal suite, is crafted from 18k pink, white, and green gold with sparkling diamonds. The engagement ring features a unique opalescent milky diamond, which not only adds to the visual appeal of the ring, but is also less expensive than a colorless diamond of similar size. At last year’s prestigious Town & Country Couture Design Awards, also known as the Oscars of the jewelry industry, Pamela was awarded the “Best of Gold” for her stunning Gothic Harlequin Cross pendant. It features a beautiful aquamarine cut in the shape of a cross, and the back of the pendant is as beautiful as the front, with detailed scroll cut-outs surrounding the designer’s signature “PF” logo. Although an impressive roster of celebrities have a “Crush” on Pamela’s jewelry, she’s less concerned about who’s wearing her jewelry than how it’s being worn. “Two people can wear the same piece and it will have a completely different look,” Pamela says. “I feel strongly that individuality is the underlying theme of beauty.” Pamela’s hip yet timeless pieces are made to be worn and treasured for generations to come. “I believe that the more a piece is worn the more beautiful it is because it becomes part of the person’s essence.”

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Trunk Show / Personal Appearance at Geoffrey Roth!


Pamela and I are excited to be traveling to beautiful Sedona, AZ for a Trunk Show at Geoffrey Roth! The event is this Friday and Saturday, with a special Artist's Reception Friday night. We hope to see you there!

Geoffrey Roth Gallery is located Under the Bell Tower in Tlaquepaque, Sedona, AZ, 86339
800-447-7684, www.geoffreyrothgallery.com

Friday, October 23, 2009

Get A Crush on Pamela Froman Pearls!



Hi Everyone,

I thought it was pretty cool that two magazines have recently featured Tahitian Pearl designs by Pamela Froman: the September issue of Watch & Jewelry Review, and the October issue of JCK! These two pieces are very different but, you'll notice that in both designs, Pamela has hand-selected beautiful natural color pearls that are complemented by the special colors of her crushed gold.

Monday, October 12, 2009

"Harlequin Crushed Nonconformity" Cufflinks

"Harlequin Crushed Nonconformity" Cufflinks

I just finished making these one of a kind 22k & 18k white gold cufflinks... they are different shape milky aquamarines (with prismatic inclusions!) accented with diamonds. The aquamarines are beautiful, especially the way the milkyness runs through the stones, and how the light picks up the iridescent flecks. I also love that they are 2 totally different shapes, yet they totally complement each other. They are pretty nice size too, a little over an inch, and I think they would look great on a white shirt! These are definitely for the man who wants something unique!

Cheers & Crushes,
Pamela

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Most Ridiculous Wedding Event Ever….

Celebrity wedding event planner Mindy Weiss, who is one of my husband's favorite people as well as one of his favorite party planners to work with, is throwing an amazing event this Sunday! It is called, "The Most Ridiculous Wedding Event Ever"! The teachers Mindy has lined up for the day are "who's who" in the wedding industry. It is a full day of information for the bride or anyone planning a wedding. My husband Jay Lawrence Goldman who is an amazing photographer is one of the speakers at the event, his topic is, 10 Tips For Getting the Most Out of Your Photographer. Besides Mindy being awesome, a few other people I know that are going to be speaking are, Ellen Lehr, of Lehr and Black, her invitations are the most beautiful and coolest you will ever see! Also, Steve Dangcil, of Vidicam Productions is a great videographer as well as a great guy and also Inside Weddings Magazine will be there and that is a beautiful bridal magazine. Check it out here... www.mindyweiss.com




Monday, September 28, 2009

Give the Gift of Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry!


Pamela Froman's award-winning Tri-Pearl Slide necklace is featured in the Fall 2009 issue of Inside Weddings magazine... what a beautiful gift for a bride on her big day! Or, if you're a bride who wants to give your mother or Maid of Honor a unique thank you gift she will love forever... think "Pamela Froman"!

The Tri-Pearl Slide necklace, part of Pamela's innovative tri-color "Crushed Melange" Collection, is made of 18k Pink, White & Green Gold with Diamond accents, and features 3 unique Tahitian and South Sea Pearls, hand-selected for their beautiful natural colors. (By the way, this piece was the Consumer's Choice in the 2009 AGTA Spectrum Awards!)

Friday, September 18, 2009

Pamela Froman "Ombre" earrings featured in Nationial Jeweler magazines!


National Jeweler magazine just featured a gorgeous pair of Pamela Froman earrings in their 2009 Fall Runway Report, Season Sense, to illustrate the popularity of "organic, sculptural forms." These colorful gold earrings are from Pamela's innovative "Ombre Crush" collection, inspired by the gradual color fade produced by the textile dip-dye technique. Although these earrings may look dip-dyed, each color is actually achieved with a different color of gold (18k white, 18k green, 18k yellow, and 22k,) which Pamela creates with special alloys. Cool, huh?

Saturday, September 12, 2009

We had a great Trunk Show at Dolce Jewels in Telluride!

Beau Staley (owner of Dolce,) "Kevin Box" Origami Horse Sculptures, and a cutie dog name Blue.

Window displays at "Dolce Jewels"

"Dolce Jewels" sign and view out the door of the store.

Cool buildings and amazing views on our walk to the store everyday!

Jilienne on our first day walking to the store, with the outrageous mountain views!

More great views walking to the store!

Coming into town, and then our last night out with Susan, Stacey and their friend.

Telluride Film Festival was going on, they set up a buffet in front of the store for the film people.

Display cases, and me with a "Kevin Box" blue horse sculpture.

More jewelry displays!!

Big Secret here, Jil and I went and had a fried oreo sundae from this shop "The Sweet Life"

Jilienne and I on a hike, okay, not a real hike... and cool colorful houses!

Hi Everyone,

We got back from Telluride last week, we had a great trunk show at Dolce Jewels, and a fun time! It is so beautiful there: the mountains are just gorgeous, and the views look like paintings. The people are so nice and down to earth. And Beau, the owner of the store, and Susan, his main salesperson, were both so wonderful to work with! The Telluride Film Festival was going on at the same time, so we got to hear a lot of opinions about the different films in the festival. (We almost got to see the film "Coco before Chanel" at the outside theater in the park, but we got rained out.) I did have a little problem with the altitude sickness, because Telluride is about 8500 feet above sea level; I had problems when I was in Aspen, and this was even higher. I had to drink tons of water, and by the last day I was feeling almost normal! We got to meet a lot of interesting new clients and I love getting to meet collectors in person, because I am usually in my studio, and that interaction is great! I hope to go back again in the winter time... I will let you know when that will be!

Cheers and Crushes,
Pamela

Monday, August 31, 2009

Dolce Jewels Trunk Show in Telluride


Hi Everyone,

We are excited to report that we are doing a Trunk Show/Personal Appearance at Dolce Jewels in Telluride Colorado this week. We will be there from September 2nd through the 5th. It is suppose to be beautiful there and the store is great! If you live there or if you are going to be in town for the Telluride Film Festival, try to stop in and see us! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Cheers & Crushes, Pamela

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

"INSIDE WEDDINGS" website is great!!

screenshot of www.insideweddings.com

Hi Everyone,

I have to tell you about Inside Weddings... Of course, you've probably already heard of this fabulous bridal magazine, it's one of the best on the market! Well, they just launched a fabulous companion website that's full of great ideas for weddings and parties, and I am very excited to be one of their Featured Designers!

My rings were featured in their beautiful Ring Issue

I also love the staff of Inside Weddings; everyone there is so wonderful! And the co-creators, Art & Walt are so classy, and they have such a good eye for spotting trends in the wedding industry. I wish Inside Weddings had been around when I was getting married!!

the last full-page ad I ran in Inside Weddings
(the next one features my rings that won the Best in Bridal Couture Design Award!)

Cheers & Crushes,
Pamela


About Inside Weddings (taken from insideweddings.com)
Inside Weddings is the premier bridal magazine committed to featuring the most real weddings and limiting advertisers to a select group of thoroughly screened professionals. As the bridal magazine with the highest ratio of editorial to advertising, Inside Weddings devotes half of every issue to showcasing the upscale weddings of real couples, and provides readers with a rich source of inspirational and aspirational images and ideas. Planning articles and trends from members of the Inside Weddings Editor’s Circle -- the magazine’s invitation-only network of wedding professionals -- offer readers additional ideas and advice. Launched in 2003, the magazine is published quarterly and distributed throughout the United States and select international markets.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry featured in Jewellery Business Magazine!


Check out the August issue of Canada's Jewelry Magazine, Jewellery Business, to see Pamela Froman's "Ombre Abstract Crush" Necklace! Editor Jacquie De Almeida interviewed Pamela at the Las Vegas Couture Show, so this article also includes a quote taken from that interview: "conspicuous consumption is on it's way out."

The "Ombre Abstract Crush" Necklace, which showcases Pamela Froman's innovative technique for blending multiple colors of gold (in this case, 18k Pink & Yellow) within a single piece, illustrates how you can have a beautiful piece of jewelry without the conspicuous "bling" of diamonds.

Of course, Pamela does work with diamonds. In fact, she uses only beautifully-cut, high quality diamonds, no matter how small. And her method of "scattered" diamond setting (1pt diamonds spaced out across the face of a piece,) adds just the right amount of sparkle without being overtly "blingy," making her pieces versatile enough to wear with jeans or a cocktail dress! Check out the popular "Crushed Queue" Necklace from Pamela's "Crushed Melange" Collection below...

... the tri-color 18k Pendant is removable; on Lambskin Leather Cord, this is a great way to dress up a V-Neck T and jeans; worn on chain, this piece sparkles through the night! This piece is super-versatile: The Leather Cord can also be worn on it's own as a Y-Necklace, with the beautiful tri-color "Crushed Links" Chain to the front... attach the Pendant to the end of the Leather's Chain and you'll have the perfect necklace for a super-sexy deep plunge neckline! It's like 4 necklaces in one!!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Modern Jeweler features Pamela Froman's HOPE Dog Tag designed for DEF

Pamela Froman's HOPE Dog Tag

We just saw the new issue of Modern Jeweler magazine, and came across a write-up about the DIVA Award-winning HOPE Dog Tag that Pamela designed to raise money for the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF)! (You can read more about DEF and the Diva Awards in an earlier post.) This piece is not yet available for sale, but we'll be sure to let you know when you can show your support for the children of Africa with your very own HOPE Dog Tag!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Ann Froman Artist Extraordinaire


The piece is called "The Lovers" and you can really feel the emotion!

Hi Everyone,

I get asked a lot where I have gotten inspiration and about my background etc. Well one of the most important ingredients in my love for art, is my Mother, Ann Froman. She is a famous talented sculptor who has had an amazing career. Her work is in Museums and Galleries all over the world. She has a diverse collections of sculpture, from, the Bennington Museum commisioned dancing bronzes, to Woman of the Bible, to Fashion Figures, she has a fabulous acrylic collection, to Holocaust pieces. In fact, one of her Holocaust pieces, called "Survival" that stands 9 feet tall and is in an edition of 9, is at Harvard University and also in front of Brooklyn College. But she also has a sense of humor with her collection called "Nude York" (typical New York people are naked except for accessories). Some of my favorite are from her emotional pieces, like "The Lovers" above, she gave it to me for my anniversary, and it just is so sensual. My mother actually started as a shoe designer, and was one of the top designers in her field, infact there was an article written in Footwear News below just a few years ago.
Her sculpture website hasn't been updated in a while but it is still cool, check it out, http://www.annfroman.com/

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? FOUR OF THE INDUSTRY'S MOST WELL-KNOWN DESIGNERS HAVE MADE EVEN BIGGER NAMES FOR THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWEAR AFTERLIFE.

Footwear News

Maxwell, Alison

They were some of the biggest names in the business.

Before Sigerson Morrison, Kate Spade and Tamara Mellon created their own fashion empires, Ann Froman, Joan Helpern, Florence Otway and Bonnie Smith were the It-Designers of the shoe industry. For many decades, each of these women played a key role in defining the direction of footwear design.

Today, all four have left the shoe world to pursue new careers light years away from the world of lasts, sketches, boutiques and pumps. But each of these powerful talents has left a lasting impression on the business they loved, and as a group, they are often credited with paving the way for a whole new crop of female designers.

Ann Froman, 60, was one of Nina Footwear's top designers in the 1960s and 1970s and broke new ground by designing the first fashion-driven down boot and rubber-bottomed pump. Today, she is an acclaimed sculptor whose work has been on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn College.

While these former footwear designers are now traveling down extremely different paths, they share a common goal: to lend their considerable talents to a host of new careers. Here, Footwear News catches up with Froman, Helpern, Otway and Smith, and looks at the post-footwear lives of the prestigious group of women.

Ann Froman

Now a world-renowned artist whose sculptures have been displayed at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn College, the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. and Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Ann Froman still has a shoe fetish.

"For the last 36 years, I've lived off my sculpture," she said. "But if I go to a new city, I still walk into a shoe store before I go into an art gallery."

Froman's passion for design -- both apparel and shoes -- began as a child. She attended the High School of Art and Design in New York, and then the Fashion Institute of Technology. After that, she moved to Paris to study painting and architecture under the legendary Le Corbusier at the Palace de Fontainbleu School of Fine Art. "I showed him my designs, and he felt I should switch my major from painting to sculpture," recalled Froman.

But she returned to New York and landed her first job in 1960, designing clothing for Abe Schrader. After a couple other apparel-design stints, she decided she wanted to design shoes. "I always had a shoe fetish," Froman recalled. "I used to draw them all the time." So she began flipping through the classified section of Footwear News and came upon a position for a freelance shoe designer at St. Louis-based International Shoe Company. She sent in a few of her sketches.

The company liked what they saw, and before she knew it, she was again drawing shoes -- this time, for pay.

In 1964, she moved on to the famed Fleming-Joffe, a company known for its high-fashion leather goods and exotic skins; Charles Jourdan, Bruno Magli, Nina Footwear and Ferragamo were only a few of the companies that purchased their materials from Fleming-Joffe.

During this time, Nina Footwear's Mike and Stanley Silverstein "begged" Froman to leave Fleming-Joffe to become their company's full-time designer. "They really wanted me," she recalled. "One time, they even offered me a Rolls-Royce if I came and worked for them."

So two years later (and with no Rolls-Royce), Froman accepted a position at Nina, where, she said, Stanley Silverstein taught her how to run an entire shoe through the factory, from last to heel. "She was greatly talented, had great ideas, and she had a handle on what design was all about," said Silverstein.

A few years later, Froman went out on her own, designing for Caressa, Polozio, Gambet Shoe Company and Belgrade Shoe Company. Over the next 10 years, the designer made a lasting mark on the industry: She designed the first-ever pair of fashionable down boots for women. She created Lucite-heeled shoes, boots with white Christmas lights running down their backs, shoes that fold up, and alligator boots on 4-inch platform heels for Sammy Davis, Jr. (He wore them for the first time on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson.) "I was one of the first to make `monster shoes' on big wide lasts.

I was also the first to put rubber shoes on soles," said Froman. "Everyone laughed then, but they shouldn't have. As far as I'm concerned, I don't think people knew how to make comfortable shoes."

While she was busy creating cutting-edge footwear for a slew of well-known companies, Froman never put her sculpting aside. "One time I went to her home to interview her," recalled Vivian Infantino, Footwear News' fashion editor at large. "We were in the kitchen and she was making cereal for her baby and I remember that there were little figurines of clay everywhere. She was always sculpting."

In the early '70s, at a time when Froman's career was at its height, she decided to quit footwear design and pursue her sculpting full-time. "Everyone thought I was nuts," she recalled. "But I had started to collect art and I was so thrilled with sculpture."

She enrolled in a sculpture course at the New School in New York and on her first day of class, her instructors told her to leave because, "They said I was a natural talent and they had nothing to teach me," Froman said. But she continued the course, and six months later she had her first one-woman show. It sold out.

Today, Froman said her medium of choice is bronze and that her artistic influences range from the Bible to relationships to politics to world events. Her Women of the Bible collection (1977) consists of 21 bronzes depicting religious characters, such as Jezebel and a pregnant Eve without a belly button; Froman's Holocaust Collection (1980) includes her most famous piece, "Survival" -- a two-tiered sculpture depicting a huddled mass of people gazing reflectively into the sky. Versions of the sculpture are now on display all over the country, some at the entrances of Brooklyn and Radcliffe Colleges.

"She puts life into a piece of metal," said Silverstein, who today is an avid collector of Froman's sculpture. "You look at it and you can see their smile and what is behind them. I've seen very few people do it like that. She's unique in that way."

But in 1999, Froman's career took a drastic turn. She fell down a flight of stairs, and shortly thereafter lost her sight. She was completely blind for two and half years. "I couldn't see or sculpt, but really wanted to do something," Froman said. "But I was depressed, so a dear friend of mine took me to [Upstate New York to relax for a while]." There, Froman had the vision to open her own gallery. So in June 2001, with the help of her husband, family and friends, the Ann Froman Gallery opened in Rhinebeck, N.Y. The 1,500-sq.-ft. space is now home to much of her work, while it also hosts shows for other renowned artists.

After several rehabilitating operations, Froman regained her sight in January 2003. "My friends tell me God gave me back my sight so I could sculpt again," she said. Today, 60-year-old Froman is sculpting her first piece since she regained her sight. She said the subject matter is "top secret" and that if she divulged any further information she could be disqualified from the event.

She now frequently negotiates with museums and galleries, planning one-woman exhibitions and showings of her sculpture. In fact, later this summer, the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., will host an exhibition of her work. "The work I do today reflects my background," Froman said. "My fashion design, art and architecture has all culminated together into my sculpture."