onespark kbme slide show

Reviving a Lost Art Form

I am a Jacksonville native

I am Kathleen Trotter Balbona

I am a PhD with 4 years of postdoctoral training

I am creative

I am well traveled

I am a wife I am a mother of two sons

I am an experienced milliner

• I started a business in 1996 to introduce fine millinery to Jacksonville

• Over the years I have produced one-of-a-kind designs for women wishing to elegantly complement an ensemble or boldly stand out in a crowd

• As my creations gained attention I began to spend more time away from my family. In 2007 I decided to step back. Today, with my children in college, I hope to breathe new life into my small business

I require capital for expansion and expenses

I intend to increase production

I want to explore new markets

I welcome collaboration

• I have the tools: crown and brim blocks, stands, steamers and stretchers

• I have the materials: a variety of straw hoods, capelines and cloth, exquisite flowers and spools of ribbon, including vintage items which are no longer produced

• I am skilled in all aspects of the millinery production: custom dying, hand-blocking, intricate needlework and beading

• I experiment with different materials, colors and shapes to create original designs

• I am fastidious with details

•I understand that as an artistic medium millinery has the ability to arouse emotion in the wearer and observer alike