PREEN & CHIC introduces Clean & Well Lit

I met the ever-lovable Amanda Landesberg at my first staff meeting with This Week in Sarasota earlier this year. Apart from her good looks and charming personality, I found myself observing the piece of jewelry adorning her neck. After the meeting, I asked Amanda about her intricate necklace, and she told me she did it herself. I thought ... yeah, right! 

I was blown away by her meticulous attention to detail, her color theory and most importantly her indescribable taste. Soon after that meeting, I got to see many more of her pieces, each one more beautiful than the last. On one lucky day in particular, I even got to visit her studio, which is a hub for the creative and artistic. We got talking about growing up in Florida, her family, the good old college years and her business venture. This is Clean & Well Lit, as seen by PREEN & CHIC:

P&C: How did Clean & Well Lit get started?

Amanda Landesberg: My two most consistent hobbies through life have been reading and making jewelry. As I’ve gotten older and have read, seen, and studied more, my design sense has become more developed. After graduating from the New College of Florida and spending time figuring out my next step, I realized I am happiest when I’m creating. Since jewelry has always been my creative outlet it seemed like a natural path to take.

P&C: Why the name Clean & Well Lit?

AL: The name Clean & Well Lit comes from the Ernest Hemingway story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place." To me, the story shows the importance of everyone having a warm, clean place where they can feel comfortable; I want my jewelry to provide a comfort for the people who wear it. With every design I strive to make something that fits in easily with the Florida lifestyle and creates a little warmth in the wearer’s heart. I want people to feel comfortable, calm and warm when wearing my designs.

P&C: About your famous "Morse Code Bracelets" ... how did you come up with the concept?

AL: Since I was young I have been influenced by literature and words; quotes have always provided inspiration and warmth in my life. With the Morse Code Bracelets I am able to take words that influence me and incorporate them into design. I love that the Morse Code Bracelets have meaning that, in a way, is kind of secret. You can wear meaningful words, know what the words mean to you, but it’s low-key and not in the face of everyone you run into on the street. The Morse Code Bracelets are really personal. Lately I have been lucky to do lot of special orders---people’s personal mantras or kid’s names in stones and color combinations that are meaningful to the wearer. It means a lot to me that people are feeling my design on such a personal level.

P&C: What is your favorite gemstone?

AL: My favorite gemstone totally changes week to week! I sometimes wonder if I got into jewelry design just to have an unlimited supply of pyrite stones; the silver color is so shiny yet earthy, you can wear it with anything! Right now, though, I am especially partial to smokey quartz; its neutral color is perfect for fall and it has a lot of sparkle! I’ve been pairing the smokey quartz with hand-dyed purple silk and it makes a really beautiful combination.

P&C: What inspires you to create your jewelry?

AL: The lines and colors of nature. The shapes, texture and shading of clouds. Art and design that I see. Meaningful words I read. Colors of the water and how they change throughout the day. The way the colors in a Florida sunset always work together, even when the color combinations seem really unusual.

P&C: Name the designers, artists or personalities whom you look up to and why?

AL: I love design and I really look up to the classics like Ray and Charles Eames; the way they combine modernism with warmth is really appealing to me. For home accessories I love Jonathan Adler and the way he is able to seamlessly combine so many styles into one coherent, happy design. For jewelry designers I adore Alexis Bittar for his process and fun designs. I think I most directly take inspiration from Chan Luu and her use of materials and techniques. Locally I’m really inspired by Rachel Vanatta Noyes of Nectar Jewelry. Local artist Javier Rodriguez creates beautiful oil paintings that combine amazing technical skill and emotion. Also my fiancé, artist Zach Gilliland. We share a studio and I couldn’t ask for a more inspiring situation; I love being surrounded with his work and his works-in-progress.

P&C: What are you looking forward to wearing during the fall/winter season?

AL: Boots! I love boots, especially wearing them with dresses and a lightweight sweater. I have a pair of vintage Frye cowboy boots that I wear with everything. I’m such a Floridian, as soon as it gets close to 70 I pull my boots on!

 P&C: What's next for Clean & Well Lit? 

AL: With my latest design, the Single Word Morse Code Bracelets, I began incorporating hand-stamped sterling silver charms into the Clean & Well Lit line and I’m excited to continue expanding the use of metals in my designs. I’m also spending time with other materials, such as wood and linen, that might be making appearances in designs in the near future. Every day I go into the studio and play with my materials and learn as much as possible. I feel that there’s always a new discovery around the corner, there’s always something about to happen next, and that keeps me excited about the future of Clean & Well Lit!

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I have seen a personal and business growth in Amanda since we met earlier this year. This talented artist and jewelry designer gives hope to our community that the creative do work and live in Sarasota. I love and wear Clean & Well Lit. Want to get your own? Visit Simply Spoiled Boutique at 1471 Main Street or call 941-364-3337 to make an appointment with Amanda to create your own and unique version of her delicate yet durable pieces.