About Suzette L. Davidson, proprietor, artist and costume enthusiast
Suzette started costume-making in high school, for Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games and dramatic productions. She studied costume design and construction at the University of Maine before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. When the first of the “Lord of the Rings” films was released in 2001, some friends decided to revive the old D&D games. She designed Halloween costumes straight from Tolkien’s Shire and then Victorian-style outfits that called for an entirely different level of seamstress skills. Friends attending costume balls and the Dickens Faire enlisted Davidson to create their outfits. A history major at Mills College who had always enjoyed dressing up in vintage outfits, she was “drawn to designs heavy on detail and historical accuracy,” going online to find dress patterns from other eras. Davidson, who still uses her grandmother’s old Singer, finds sewing “a very comforting, reflective process.” She can be completely obsessed with researching, sewing, and finding the perfect fabric for a given project, sometimes re-making/re-cutting a costume out of lucky finds at thrift shops, yard sales and trades fabric and skills with other costumers from the Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild. Costume-making provides Davidson with a creative and intellectual outlet. She enjoys delving into the history of fashion and strives for authenticity in her creations. Malvena Pearl’s Emporium is located in Oakland, California. Suzette hopes that one day her California town will become a “sister city” of Oakland, Maine, the home of many of her childhood friends and relations.
About Jan Nixon, Jewelry Collector/Research Hobbyist
Specializing in Vintage, Antique, Military Jewelry. Enjoying the history, stories and unique construction behind each piece of jewelry. Jan can help you find that perfect piece for that perfect occasion.
About Mrs. Greenbalm Healing Salve
Mrs. Greenbalm healing oils, salves and tonics are created in small batches by Martha L. McCook, a modern Alchemist and Flower Essence Practitioner who lives in Bend, Oregon. Martha has been an artist in the healing arts for more than 30 years and is the president of her company, Celebrate Health, LLC, which provides entry level employment for Tudor Gilmour. Martha uses organic ingredients to create wonderful products that support the body’s natural healing process. She believes that “the best medicine is love” and that “the plants remember paradise.”
About Sahrye Cohen, costume maker, designer and hair ornament creator
Sahrye is a Renaissance woman, a scientist, athlete and creative thinker whose current art forms include archery and science with Society for Creative Anachronism, 18th century wardrobe construction and the design of “Steampunk” accessories. She has painted silk and designed a chuppa for a wedding, received an award for a corset that she hand-embellished and has been an advocate and supporter of the Emporium since it’s beginning. Somewhere online there is a digital recording of her visit to Colonial Williamsburg, VA, in 2009, where she dressed in appropriate attire for the 1770s and toured the facilities of living history costume archives.