onespark kbme slide show
TRANSCRIPT
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