10 minute read
GUYSTANLEY
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spoke experience can require several meetings, either virtual or in- person to establish goals. All the while she’s getting to know her clients on a personal level as she guides them through the process of selecting both stones and style for whatever custom design they decide to commission. From price point to priceless, Donna takes her clients on their own uniquely memorable jewelry-making journey. Knowing that jewelry can have both sentimental and monetary value, this A-list designer is truly full service, advising clients in both buying and selling practices as they continue to expand their classic or contemporary collections – or both. Discretion is of utmost importance to Donna, and she insists the same of her team. “What happens in this salon, stays in this salon.”
These lessons were learned early on, and they stuck. At one point in her career, Donna was even entrusted with repairing and restoring some antique pieces for none other than Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Not even her goldsmiths knew whose items they were working on. It’s clear Donna still prides herself on how she fiercely protects the privacy of her high-profile clientele and is just as sought after for her discretion as for her technical prowess or critical design eye.
While she’s been running her own business since 1999, Vock was bitten by the jewelry bug back in the 1980s while working for some of the biggest names in the industry, including H Stern and Tiffany and Co. Her vast experience and dedication to consistent quality and the highest integrity are what makes Vock truly sparkle, just like her creations.
Since the pandemic, this devotedjewelry designer, who adapted her bespoke experience to the virtual world, has expanded with a location in Greenwich, Connecticut. “We found that our activity was truly nationwide, global in fact, but having a design atelier in Fairfield County close to home seemed logical. I’m very happy to have both locations.” She might think she is still under the radar, but Donna, who initially launched her brand in Aspen, has seen an influx of fans from around the country as well as buyers from overseas who are now flooding into their NYC showroom.
Wherever you find Donna these days, one thing has stayed the same – her passion for helping her clients find or create their own perfectly personal piece of jewelry. From concept through creation, she ensures that her loyal clientele receives not only an exquisite piece, but also an elevated experience. She also enjoys sharing her expertise with her team of young, dynamic women who are just as enthralled as Donna was when she first stepped into the realm of jewelry making and design.
Her own star-studded story started when she stumbled into an entry-level position at H Stern over three decades ago while doing some post-graduate work at Columbia. For this future in-demand jewelry designer, it was love at first gemstone. “My world changed, and I never looked back.” The science major began a long journey into fine arts and design in her free time, honing her skills 7 days a week.
Soon, Donna landed a jewelry aficionado’s dream job in the diamond office of Tiffany and Co. where she recounts a few memorable encounters withcelebritiessuch as Madonna,who she remembers went mad for a pricey pair of one of a kind mismatched earrings that left a big impression on the young jewelry specialist.
Donna eventually began designing stunning and sold-out pieces for Lazare Kaplan Int’l and gained not only international recognition, but“an appetite for true creative expression and a definite appreciation for classicism that was fueling my own creative voice, but confidence and success doesn’t happen overnight.”
Fine jewelry is also a family affair. Upon becoming pregnant with her second child in 1994, Donna left corporate life and began helping her husband, Alex, build his own gem and pearl company called ProVockative Gems, Inc. Now world-renowned experts in emeralds, rubies, sapphires and antique cut diamonds, Donna’s extensive experience in product development and sales came in handy. “We’ve always been there for each other. I supported us when he started on his own in 1990 with $7,000 we’d saved. No financial backers, no line of credit. He’s the best in the world; a gem dealer extraordinaire, he’s my rock star.”
Fast forward to today andDonna, with a reputation as flawless as any D color diamond, is the most trusted source for both private collectors and retailers who are ‘in the know’ about thenation’s bestbespoke experience. P vockandvintage.com
PAINTING NEW YORK WITH LOVEGUYPHILOCHE STANLEY
BY JULIE SAGOSKIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES WEBER
NEW YORK MIGHT HAVE BEEN HIT ESPECIALLY hard by the pandemic, but A-list artist Guy Philoche has been helping to lift spirits—and lift up other artists. Through his new series, Guy is painting the town red, as well as all the other colors that he believes showcase the uniqueness of New York—with all its quirks, eccentricities, vibrancy and everything else that makes her the most resilient city in the world.
While his art sits in many prominent collections, Guy is just glad to finally have a seat at the table now that he has received global recognition from his recent sold-out shows. This passionate painter—who is represented by Cavalier Gallery, located at 3 West 57th Street, with other locations in Palm Beach, Nantucket and Greenwich—realized what is truly important in life once the pandemic hit. He has since made it his mission to remind peoplewhat makes New York so special while supporting those who are trying to make it in the art world.
Just a few days after Guy decided to buy a pricey new Rolex watch to symbolize all the success and acknowledgment in the art world that earned him that seat at the table, the city started shutting down due to COVID-19. Although Guy has always been philanthropic, this was the beginning of his giving back on a whole new personal and prominent level.
“Restaurants and museums and galleries closed, and Art Basel got canceled. I realized just how much my colleagues were struggling. I have been here for over 20 years, through 9/11, blackouts and hurricanes, but I have never seen so many people this scared. It wasn’t even just a New York thing; it was a worldwide thing. Instead of buying that cool $20,000 Rolex watch, I went on Instagram and used that money to start buying up artworks of other artists and raising awareness about them.”
After posting about how he wanted to buy $20,000 worth of works from undiscovered or struggling artists, Guy received messages from artists around the country, asking him to consider their pieces. He even
began making additional purchases for other collectors who had heard about what he was doing. Guy eventually had to put some of his own works into storage just to make room for his new discoveries.
Since using his fame and funds to help others, Guy has appeared in national outlets, including People magazine and even Good Morning America. He says that helping to give others a chance to succeed stems from the fact that he would have liked someone to have supported him when he was starting out. “No one opened doors for me. I had friends who were famous in the art world, but they never did anything to help me. I’m all about sharing the love. There’s enough for everybody, and everybody needs a shot. I’m thankful to now have the opportunity to help others.”
When it comes to advising people who want to pursue their artistic passions, Guy says, “Never stop dreaming, always keep dreaming big, and keep painting. Just because one person says no, it doesn’t mean you need to stop. You’ve gotta want it bad enough. I’vesacrificeda lot; I’m not some overnight success.”
In addition to giving hope to his fellow artists, Guy wanted to inspire others through his new works. For those who say New York is dead following the devastation from the pandemic, Guy is here to tell them—or rather show them—just how wrong they are. His new series, “New York, I Love You”, demonstrates his own sentiments toward his favorite city, which he likens to any great love story: “She’s like, ‘I’msorry I’m crazy, but I love you!’”
It was when he noticed a little girl taking pictures with a Polaroid camera that Guy purchased his own Polaroid and began taking photos, or what he likes to call moments of history, around New York. “I would try to capture all of the beautiful parts of the city. I would go around Central Park and just start taking photos of iconic landmarks and buildings and turn them into a cool painting. I love the format of it and working with a Polaroid. You can write the date and time of where you were. I just love turning a canvas into a Polaroid and writing to New York City.”
Just as in his other works, Guy paints a picture of what he sees but with his own creative twists. His painting of a pizza-eating rat went viral. Another piece shows a subway stopping at “Kobe Bryant Park,” which allowed Guy to process his feelings on Bryant’s death while capturing that moment.
letting her know that I still love her, both the good and the bad, and reminding people of all of the elements that make New York so great. I have been here for over two decades and have come to learn that the city will always overcome. I know that so many people left, but I wanted to show that the city is still beautiful and vibrant through these works. I had done another series that was very popular where I took a cartoon character and intertwined it with love and revolution, and it really put a smile on people’s faces. I just wanted people to smile again. The city is always evolving as it continues resetting itself.”
Since almost everyone has their own special spot in New York, Guy is also regularly commissioned by people who want to commemorate the places that they love the most. Many of his clients include those who have relocated and want to remember their favorite parts of Manhattan.
So how did this painter survive the pandemic? Let’s just say his saving grace was working in his studio, going to the park—one of his favorite places in New York—for his morning workout and, of course, having the cutest assistant around, his French bulldog named Picasso.
Guy also credits Cavalier Gallery with allowing him to continue to grow as an artist rather than pigeonholing him into creating the same types of works simply because they are guaranteed to sell. Perhaps it is because the gallery is well aware that Guy’s constant creative evolution is exactly what has made him so popular! “I have amazing collectors, from Japan to Los Angeles, who believe in the work and what I do,” explains Guy.
After sold-out shows in Nantucket and Greenwich, with his last series resulting in record-breaking sales, multiple television appearances and access to collectors around the world, the countdown is on for his next unveiling, which is set to take place this December at Art Basel. “People are buying my work without even seeing it. A lot is already sold. They just believe in me and my vision that much.”
Originally from Haiti, Guy grew up in Connecticut with two siblings and knew that his journey to reaching the pinnacle of success with his paintings would come with its challenges. Having been raised by parents who had government jobs and persis-
