thehouseofz

We met in college in 1987. From the very beginning of our relationship we were collaborating. We made music together. We made art together. We travelled the world together, soaking up inspiration from around the globe. Our artistic pursuits were sidelined for several year by corporate careers that left little time or energy for other creative activities. After witnessing the horror of 9/11 first hand from our Brooklyn apartment, we decided life is too short to grind it away inside an office. So we slowly transitioned into a more artistic way of life.

Shortly thereafter we started House of Z, an umbrella under which we could explore all facets of our artistic curiosity. We started doing street markets on the weekends, selling Amy's photographs and various other items we were creating. Then one day we discovered a beach on the banks of the Hudson River that was covered with sea glass. We became immediately enamored, amazed at how the waves could turn a piece of trash into something beautiful. After several collecting trips, we found ourselves with heaps of gorgeous sea glass. The obvious question was, what to do with it? Amy made a few jewelry pieces for herself, and her friends, and the response was fantastic. Soon we started selling our sea glass jewelry at markets, and before too long the jewelry became our main focus.

People love the fact that we collect and make everything ourselves, and so do we. Each piece is unique, and we really enjoy learning where every piece of glass would take us creatively. Eventually we made the move to working on House of Z full time. We travel the world looking for the most gorgeous sea glass we can find, and then we bring it into our studio and see what it inspires us to make. Each piece is a collaboration between us and the forces of nature, and we are so happy to share them with you. Thanks for visiting - Amy & Drew Burchenal