5 minute read
Maker Of The Month
the 2015 General Finishes national design contest in the category of Best Staging.
For me, having a creative outlet is about as important as air and food, and I tend to tackle my endeavors with an obsessive degree of gusto, some might use the word “obsession”.
Describe what you create under kasta?
We create modern, minimalist handmade concrete jewelry that blurs the lines of architecture and fashion. Each creation is surprisingly lightweight, weighing only a fraction of an ounce and is completely unique from one piece to the next. At kasta, we celebrate the beauty in our individuality, and that’s what makes concrete such a remarkable medium to work with.
Tell us where your name came from?
The word “kasta” is old Norse meaning “to throw in” or “cast”. That’s what we do – we create molds, take raw concrete and then cast it into a shape. We take that shape and turn it into something beautiful.
Because we like to do things a little offcenter at kasta, we use a lowercase “k” in our business name to keep people on their toes, and if you look closely, you’ll see “JK” in our logo as well.
Your personal favorite piece you've created?
Kelly: My favorite piece is the first pair of earrings I ever created. I still wear them all of the time; I’m wearing them today. They’re circular drop earrings with no added color. Just plain concrete that shows unique texture and tiny imperfections that look beautifully unique – like a wearable work of art.
Jessie: That’s a hard one! The color-blocked concrete jewelry is fun and playful, and the raw concrete and metallic gilded jewelry are modern and chic. If I had to pick one to represent our brand, I suppose I would pick the mica pendant necklaces, they are unique and classic. But you’ll see me most in our earrings, I love them all!
What is your favorite thing about having your own business?
Being creative breathes life into both of us. Working with a best friend on a medium that we love is one of the better decisions we’ve made in a long time.
What is the most challenging thing?
Kelly: Trying not to let outside voices impact our vision. As creative perfectionists, we have so many ideas. It’s hard to hold back, pace ourselves and focus on one thing at a time.
Jessie: Being seen! What people don’t realize when you own a small online business is that you’re not just creating a product, you are a website designer, photographer, purchaser, accountant, delivery service and marketer. We are constantly striving to get better in these areas, especially marketing.
What are you looking forward to with your business in 2021?
Introducing more people to kasta and bringing other elements to our designs such as wood, metals, aggregates and new colors. We’ve only scratched the surface.
What is a word that best describes you?
Kelly: Colorful
Jessie: Industrious
What advice would you have given yourself 10 years ago?
Kelly: You don’t have to pick just one thing. You can dabble in hobbies and different ventures all of your life. Don’t be afraid to try new things to see what sticks. Embrace your “weird”. Have fun and never grow up. Jessie: In the last 10 years, along with a fulltime career, some of my creative endeavors include entrepreneur, furniture restorer and painter, woodworker, interior designer and remodeler, writer, blogger, and now jewelry designer, maker, and co-owner of a small business. While I think it’s admirable to model hard work and drive for your children, I think I’d tell myself to chill out and enjoy my family and maybe pick a lane.
Where can people find your work?
We’re active on social media and plan to participate in a handful of pop-up shops and events each year. We also are very pleased to sell our products at Unglued in Downtown Fargo.
How can our community support you – especially in this pandemic time?
Give any company that you follow on social media some love by engaging with them and their posts. This is huge for small businesses. Any time we make a sale an actual person at kasta does a happy dance.
Website/social to stay in touch:
Website: kastadesigns.com Instagram: @kastadesigns Facebook: @kastadesigns Pinterest: @kastadesigns TikTok: @kastadesigns
By Alex Cyusa Photo By Nolan P. Schmidt
Meet Sir Steve French:
A COMMUNITY ACTIVATOR
Warm Greetings
In times when the world is still healing from this global pandemic, where people long for human connection and as the enchanting Spring is preparing the way for the heartwarming Summer: I wanted to talk with a stellar individual who thrives at creating spaces and events where people can connect meaningfully.
In the fall of 2017, I met a special person at the Red River Market. At first glance you cannot miss him as he stands out by his stature and his worldly aura, making him a person I wanted to approach and learn from.
Steve French is a community activator at Folkways with a focus on the administrative, production and operational needs of the team. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, he has a background in brand mobile experience design.
I feel fortunate to call him a friend I abundantly learn from at Folkways but foremost the Red River Valley is a better place because he proudly calls it his home away from his Utah home state.
Next time you see him: be sure to ask him why he loves the F-M Area!
Skol!
Cyusa Where do you call home?
My home is Fargo, N.D. I'm originally from Salt Lake City. Prior to coming to the area, I had a pretty colorful journey of a life. I left Salt Lake at about 24 to move to Brooklyn (NY) with a Black Metal record label I was working for at the time. 15 of us caravanned along with the entire label and its 300,000+ CDs across the country in the hopes of making it big. I ended up working for an experiential marketing firm on Wall Street, which took me all over the country creating experiences for worldwide brands.
With your passion for traveling, how did you land in Fargo? What keeps you busy here?
I am not sure if I have a passion for travel, perhaps it is a result of doing it so much. I ended up in Fargo as several different circumstances came together. I had finished work I was doing in Austin, and my partner is from Fargo, so I came to visit and pretty much immediately fell in love with it. Currently, my days are spent full time with Folkways and the community projects we work on. Spending time with my partner and her two kids and a few smaller projects.
