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Meet Lori Greenberg of Quirky & Odd in Cave Creek

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Greenberg.

Lori, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I had my first business with my sister, L & J Crafts when I was ten years old. We sold handmade items to cousins and neighborhood kids out of a corner of my dad’s unfinished basement when we weren’t using it for our roller-skating rink. I made the product, and she handled the sales and money.

I studied textile design at Indiana University, but it took ten years after graduation, and a foray into a higher degree in counseling, before I’d get back to an artful life. I had a successful business selling polymer clay beads in the late 90s and transitioned into making and selling glass beads in 2000 which I did for almost 20 years. During that 20 years, I’d scaled down my production and show schedule to take time for my kids. Now that they’re teenagers I’m diving back into being a full-time working artist, and in 2017 I sold all of my glass, torches, and tools and fully transitioned into making one-of-a-kind sterling silver statement jewelry that features semi-precious gemstones and custom fused glass centerpieces. Last year I rebranded my business name to Quirky & Odd, where I make offbeat jewelry for people who defy the ordinary.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve had my share of ups and downs but most of it I consider first-world-problem, existential crises. I am truly blessed to have a husband, that I lovingly call my Sugah Daddy, who has supported and encouraged me from the beginning. He’s the one that urged me to take glass classes 20 years ago, even though I warned him that he’d be sorry if I took on a new art form.

My art career had just started to take off when we decided to start a family. It has been a crazy journey of self-growth as I slowly gave up more and more chunks of time doing what I loved to do (create and sell) over the years in order to be a fully engaged parent. I knew though, that I would only get the opportunity to raise my kids once, and someday I’d be wishing I had those years back if I put business first. The good news is, we all survived my parenting, I’m proud to say that I’ve raised my kids consciously at every turn, and I love watching the amazing young adults that they’re becoming. One wants to go into the music business, and the other wants to go to art school. Depending on how I look at that, I’ve either done something very right or, very wrong.

Over the years I’ve struggled with depression, and that has been a big part of my story. Art is what has kept my head above water, as well as a great group of friends that I would have never met if it weren’t for glass. Last year I had a scare with breast cancer. It was then that I decided that life is too short to not do what you love, and it’s part of the reason that I’ve recommitted to my business. I love every aspect of making and marketing and now that my kids will be going out on their own soon, that is where I’ve decided to focus.

Please tell us about Quirky & Odd.
My company is Quirky & Odd, and the name comes from the fact that I’ve always felt a little different than everyone else. My entire life I’ve tried to “play it safe” and fit in, but as I hit 50 I was exhausted from doing that. I honestly think that the prolonged stress and effort of trying to hide the real me contributed to my bouts of depression. I just recently wrote a blog about who the “real me” is, and what I’ve been hiding. https://lorigreenberg.com/blog/?p=5070

It’s my hope that through my funky style I will connect and be a role model of sorts for other people who have the same interests, whether they’ve also hidden behind a mask, or not. Again, life is too short to pretend to be something you’re not, and we’re all perfect just as we are, right where we are at any given moment.

The themes in my artwork and jewelry are a little offbeat with themes like eyes, aliens and new age woo-woo things. I recently found out that there is a category for the kind of jewelry that I make and it’s called Art Jewelry. That is, the designs and value of pieces are based on the creative expression and design, rather than solely on the value of the gemstones or metals that make up the piece.

I view my jewelry-making process more as a sculptor building pieces than a jeweler making an object. When I set out to make a new collection I spend time communing with the stones I’m going to use. They tell me what they want to be, what they want their collection to be named, and the story behind it. As I set out sketching ideas they give me the thumbs up, or thumbs down… metaphorically of course. We all know that rocks don’t have thumbs. 😉 We both know when I’ve finally hit on the design in which they choose to live out the rest of their lives.

I am most proud that over the years I’ve developed my own style that is recognizable, and that I’ve built a nice network of collectors who appreciate my originality and the funkiness of my pieces. I love those people who get it and feel moved when they connect with my jewelry on a level beyond the visual.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Oh gosh. Now I know how my kids feel when someone asks them to choose a favorite of something. They flat out refuse to choose favorites of anything because they feel like it diminishes the value of everything else. I guess I’ve raised kids that are a little out-of-the-ordinary, too.

If I had to pick one favorite memory from childhood I would have to say it was spending summers with my grandparents in Minnesota. They’d retired and bought a “resort” with six little cabins that they would rent out to vacationers. Every week I would have a new crop of kids to play with. I’m told that I used to bother the adults too, as I walked around with a deck of cards in my back pocket trying to get everyone to play.

My grandpa would take me fishing every Tuesday night. My grandma called me a chatterbox and I’d be warned to be quiet in the boat because I would scare the fish away. I’d have nap time every day and my grandma would lie down in bed with me and tell me the story of Cinderella. I especially liked that she’d rub my back, and put me to sleep as she imitated the “dong, dong, dong” of the clock striking midnight at the ball. This was a time when I didn’t worry about being different. I was a tomboy and I’d run around with no shoes or shirt on. People thought it was “cute,” rather than weird, that I wanted to help them clean their fish and dissect the contents of the stomachs and eyes.

Pricing:

  • Earrings $35-$95
  • Rings $30 – $250
  • Necklaces $90 – $700
  • Bracelets $70 – $250
  • Charms and Clasps $25 – $40

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Lori Greenberg
Mark Collins, the Graphics House

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