Creative Collaboration

TONY PERRIN AND CRYSTAL SHADE

BY HOLLIE DEESE

Crystal Shade started making pottery about 10 years ago, hooked after a continuing education class. Tony Perrin launched his Lock & Key jewelry line six years ago, a coalescence of all the creative professional pursuits he has had over the years, including a background in dance, fashion and costume design. Both tenants of the 100 Taylor Creative Arts building in Germantown, the two connected after the tornados in March, followed immediately by closures due to COVID-19. Instead of finding their creativity stifled during the pandemic, together they were able to make something beautiful out of something broken.

Perrin’s wife had broken one of his favorite Jonathan Adler vases, and Shade suggested he cover the crack with bronze flowers like he used in his jewelry. The result was stunning, and together they decided to collaborate on a small home décor line in porcelain and bronze, Modern Heirloom, that includes vases, picture frames and jewelry plates.

“The tornado inspired me a lot,” Shade says. “And this is not something I ever would have done on my own.”

Perrin says he is always trying to make lemonade out of lemons, and this collaboration is the perfect example of that.

“I think it’s a really great story of perseverance and partnership,” Perrin says.

The collaboration has since expanded to others in the 100 Taylor Creative Arts Building where they are located, with the opening of Gallery 100, a shop that showcases items made by other artists in the building, like Mary Kathryn jewelry and the Revelhaus beauty line. Of course, each of their individual product lines is there too.

Tony Perrin

“Hearing how many galleries have been closing in Nashville and how much transitioning was happening in the building, we approached Ron (Runyeon) and asked if he would be open to partnering with the community in the building, to nurture them and establish a destination that has a gallery and work spaces for the artists’ community at large,” Perrin says.

The answer was an enthusiastic yes, and the result is a return to the kind of collaborative spirit that Nashville has always been known for.

“We’re an artist collective, and I think if there’s more things that we can do to support each other in a positive way, especially during this time. Creating that sort of infrastructure means that as things get easier and we get busier, we’ll already have it established. I’m hopeful for what it can stand for and how it could really help support our community.” NI