C. Jeré and BJ Keith: Sculptor (Part 1)

I begin with a series of blog posts about my mother: artist, painter, sculptor and one-time musician--BJ Keith.

As I mentioned earlier today, I was prompted to start this blog after a series of events that happened recently:

Event #1:
While taking my daughter to Cornell University to do her college visits, we explored The Commons (downtown Ithaca). I turned to say something to her when I noticed the store window directly behind her. There, displayed were all of the very first pieces my mother ever created for Artisan House, under the pseudonym of C.Jeré, the name used to represent a group of artists at the Los Angeles based metal design company. I myself was stunned to see that the pieces that mom had designed 30 years ago were still highly sought after items. My daughter, who had never seen these pieces, was glowing with pride for her grandmother, who she considers to be her role model and inspiration for pursuing her dreams. Here is a picture of her in front of the store window of "Now You're Cooking". In the following picture are these items still being sold today by the Artisan House, only not in the original 4 foot size. The only piece not made any more is her first piece, which is the can opener. The owner had that piece mounted up behind his counter and informed me that it wasn't for sale because he couldn't get it any more, and it was his own collector's item. I explained how I wasn't looking to buy it but that my mother had designed it. He looked at me in askance as if to say, "Yeah, right." I will have to dig up that photo we have of her holding her first prototype of the piece back in the 70's. I will post it here, for all of you C. Jeré fans, when I find it.