Welcome to Gaia! ::

Post [R] A short introduction (Jada/Quenton)

Elliot had been kind enough, or willing enough for need of money, to take a night’s extra hours in order to assure that someone was attending to the necessary business of the CatFé while Quenton took to the more personal business of meeting an artistic client. The cat-room had two occupants and one cancellation, so there were a good 4 cats that could provide attention if allotted a single cat to a single person attending the felines. Given the occasion,he stuck to label jeans given a year previous by Stroud and so not riddled with holes, and a clean, crisp, fitted white button down with french cuffs and pocket-watch cuff links he’d cast himself. There were also the mouse-skull ones on hand he’d made for Alois once, but taxidermy-based jewelry tended to be more of a niche market and best left to photographs. Bones troubled people, and his hand jewelry tended to already be more than most could bear.

He sat casually, leather folio and a selection of unmarked, black enameled boxes on a clean-lined side table brought downstairs for the purpose. A spiced tea sat steaming to hand, while Quenton patiently felted Faust-fur cat’s paw keychains for the CatFé fans and patrons.

No doubt she'd be their soon, or even fashionably late, given the inclusion of small persons and the challenges inevitable in getting them into cars and to other locations with any efficiency of time.

“I am so called. “ Quenton set the felting aside carefully, standing from his seat in proper observance of mannerly protocols to offer out a hand to Chamberlyn in introductions. “It is fur. “

The woman was not what he'd expected, but on reflection he hadn't formed any definite image anyway. So anything at all would naturally be a surprise. She was certainly small, compared to what he was used to when dealing with his cousin. More normal, really, and closer to the expectations of cultural femininity- petite, long haired, large-eyed and showing a manicured figure.
The two small persons, seeming to be the usual packaging of energy, color and inquisitiveness. Standing felt like looming over the three of them. “From brushing the cats. Some of them are with us for a while, and gain fans of the regulars and those who follow our social media. You both are? “

He preferred to treat even children as rational beings, whether they proved themselves capable of it or not. Set the bar high, to the moon, and even if they failed to meet it there was the chance they’d at least land in the stars. A chance. Elliot helpfully and unobtrusively brought over three menus to put on the small table in case they were wanted or needed, before returning wordlessly to the barista stand.

"Puppies are wonderful. As are birds, ferrets, gerbils, fish and all manner of animal companions. I'm afraid we only have cats here. You can stay out here if you do not like them."

"Sacred Tigress Dawon who carries Durga, Ix Chel the jaguar goddess, Cit Chac Coh the puma, Tepeyollotl the Mountain heart, and Barong Ket the king of spirits to the Balinese are all good additions of feline deities to the usually cited Egyptian Pantheon on cable programs." One of his committee specialized in South American Archaeology, and the gains being made there in Mayan diaspora were a frequent ear-worm from the woman. At the least it meant he could pronounce the names of the gods as well as one with no formal learning in the languages could hope to mangle out.

His attention split again, briefly, to Ms. Chamberlyn, "Trouble it not, and I shall do likewise."

And returned to Guilia and Aidan, given that professional meetings were usually easier without small children bored and huffing in immediate proximity. "There are rules to the cat room, which you must give a promise to follow if you wish to go in:
One- Don’t pick up the cats.
Two - Don't feed the cats.
Three - Don't pull the cats onto your lap. If they naturally, of their own free will, wish to climb onto your lap then it is fine.
Four - If a cat has climbed to your shoulders, head, or is otherwise where a place that is not comfortable to you, let lift your left hand and gently wave at Elliot and he will come remove them. Five - Cats don’t like loud noises, so please keep voices soft while in the cat room.
Six - Photography is fine, if you have a cellphone with a camera. Please tag the Catfe if you upload your content. However, photography with bright flashes will disturb the cats, so please refrain from using flash.
If you can promise to follow these rules, you may go in to the catroom. Elliot will be supervising. If any are broken, you will be asked to return to out here in the cafe section with no second chances. "

"Can you make the cats the promise to follow the rules?" It was better to make the promise to the cats themselves, rather than himself. It was the cats that children valued, not some random stranger. And it was the cats that suffered when the rules were broken.

"You can kiss them. If they are allowing you to pet them, they are likely to allow you to kiss them. Queenly wave works best, since it is less sudden movement immediate movement that might cause a cat to startle. Startled cats often extend their claws for balance and traction, and that could hurt. We prefer neither customers nor cats to be injured. "

"As for their preferences, each cat is different, much like people. Some don't like their feet touched, others are fine with it. If they pull away, or put a paw on your hand pushing, they don't like it. You can learn their expressions, just like human ones. They're very expressive little personalities. Castor is...your cat at home?" Castor...they both mention it. What an ominous name for a pet. It should be innocuous enough, and so many go through a Classical Mythology phase. Or Astronomy or astrology phases where space and stars are collected and pasted in posters and trapper-keepers. It may be nothing more. The names of space grow heavy in the heart with the weight of a war unseen, unknown, unsupported. Even in the mouths of the young. It was not always so. So suspicious and jaded, one becomes.

"The cafe works with the local shelters, so that cats which are fitting in temperament and personality are placed here for 8 months, living here full time, in hopes that they will more quickly find forever home than at the shelter. " Bless the woman for stopping the argument before it could really get going. Children. How or why she had two already was it's own invasive line of questioning, and better left alone. He gave a look and nod to Elliot, who came over to escort into the cat room and leave business inquiries to business peace. Conversationally this would be the place where most would make some deriding remark about children in general, or would compliment her on her handling of them, as if anyone else had some sort of authority to deign compliments down on any other for their children. Quenton chose neither, but motioned to the other seat of the cafe table. "Please feel free. I have a portfolio of pictures you can peruse, as well as physical pieces you can look at in hand. Or we can start with a description of what you're looking for, if you would rather? "

’He is Jada's kitty’
They do not call her ‘Mother’. Perhaps she isn’t, to them. Or not by direct blood. Or not allowed for preservation of the vanity of youth...necessity... Reasons could run on and on. But the child called this woman by her first name, and no title.

While the children vanished, and Chamberlyn elaborated, he selected and opened the black boxes to set on the main table for her perusal to see the differences of polishing, engraving, faceting, and then setting, beading, cloisonné, wrapping, casting, metal smithing, glass working, and other jewelers arts he’d set himself to among the pieces he still hadn’t found into appropriate homes. Each piece was it’s own thing, it’s own story and life that had always seemed to want to go to specific people that occasionally passed through life. The leather folio provided the rest, as well as the examples of figurative sculptures he’d one for private gardens, banisters of marble, the custom cast counters, tables and chairs for Alexandre’s tea shop, and other projects of the cosplay variety during his undergraduate studies.

He took the time to likewise consider the bag and brand for a moment before moving on to the photos Jada laid out. It was a kindness and a welcome preparedness that she'd brought them to scale the breadth of the repairs she’d be looking to fill. Restoration could be tricky through the virtue of matching style and material, or through investing time, but they were also straight forward for demanding no design work- useful bread and butter pay and practice. In many cases, it was more Stroud's line of work. The very source and beginning of my own training, really. It may be this is later pieces than Stroud's usual 19th century and earlier preferences.

“What are your feelings about contractors and crews in your space? Larger scale remodel, removal, or installation can require more than one person. From time to time. I’ve had clients that required stringent work schedules, or limits on crew members; it is a question of logistics rather than worry about compatibility. “

“And are there other specialists, crews, or architects that will be in the space at the same time on other projects?”

“Yes, please. You can try things on as well, if you’re curious of weights, constructions or materials. They are, like any of my sculpture, all meant to be touched as much as seen. Meant to be worn to be enjoyed, not just sit in boxes, as much as they do until they find their owners.”

‘the nanny, the chef, a housekeeper, my gardener’
That is a goodly amount in this day and age. Not the wealthy town house of the 1800s with twenty servants, nor the country estate of forty, but a solid 4 constant staff with plenty of daily work to justify and require so many with full pay. And the ability to pay it. 1900 or 1910 for the start of the Estate on American soil? Was there one before? Stroud may already be looking into the family history, as much as it matters for we latter scions. Perhaps a fortune of mining engineering in the 1890s provided for sudden fortune and society during the heyday of the Titanic. Or Bootlegging to begin with? No, that is Prohibition and the 1920s, marking it too late.
‘Your cousin’

There was the confirmation of involvement. Always beautiful, execrable, Stroud. “Ah, yes. Her estimations ….are honest, and not tending towards nepotism. As an antiquarian and restoration specialist, Stroud has seen a great deal of the best and worst work in craftsmanship and art, especially regarding the longevity and structural repair of artefacts that have been degraded by time and use.“

“For custom pieces, where possible, I like to hear from the client in as much detail what they’re looking for. As many kinds of inspirations they can find like clothing, a painting, pieces of music that remind them of the piece they want. Then, I like to see their spaces- their private room and public room they spend their time in so that I can get a better sense of them as a person. What their regular style is, especially if what they are asking for is outside of their norm. It is good for the avant garde to meet individual style at least halfway, otherwise a piece is too broad about breaking all boundaries, instead of twining and enhancing with one individual. Finally, knowing what they want the piece for- a necklace that is meant to be worn once for a single gala dinner has a different use than a statement hairpiece that will be worn henceforth and be known to the person’s name and passed down as an heirloom. Communication is paramount. “

“Is there a process you prefer, yourself, in commissions you’ve had in the past?” It assumed that she’d done this before with some craftsman or other, whether standing for a painting, ordering french polishing of a grand table in a dining hall, or something. Possibly fashion pieces for herself or for the children.

At her apparently age, an ‘until recently’ for a parent is either estrangement or sudden death. In a city like this, the latter is more likely, with the Negaverse harvests. Though six-hundred thousand a year from cancer alone isn’t to be mocked. How recent could recent be….grim conversation that, and not likely welcome. And not necessary here. Other than a node of information. Others in a job. Others in a Mother. He tried to tone his voice warmer than his face ever got, “Books open may be guarded by their glyphs indecipherable. “

‘You can start with the house’

“You find pleasure enough in the examples, then? There’s no upfront cost to the patron, yourself, until the actual design-sketch stage, other than time. Typically, for custom work, ⅓ of the price is due upon choosing a sketch that we work out together. That allows for the acquisition of materials in the case of casting or fabrication. Following that, if we can arrange a comfortable time for me to see your personal effects...ones that you feel are you and will relate to the to piece to be designed, rather than things chosen for you—unless that is also important. I could see how it could play a part, as all parts of our lives inform who we are, even if those chapters are closed. What piece or pieces, since there is breadth of possibilities, were you interested in pursuing first?”

He turned to opening the envelope she’d brought to bring to light the objects needing repair, as opposed to those needing designed. “How much, if any, restoration or repair work has been completed to these pieces in the past, if you know or it is documented in expenses anywhere? And for each, there is the question of Restoration, Repair, Stabilization, and/or Recreation? “

"True enough. Google does not allow much in the finer differences of mix or make for plaster or ceramic recipes, or modern materials science, ultra-violet illumination, and microscopy when it comes to maintenance, replication of missing pieces, or stabilization that won't damage the piece. If there's marble, I'm familiar with the techniques already - cleaning with aqueous solutions, white vinyl erasers and low pressure steam."

"I don't personally own the tech for the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, or X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and the like...the Destiny City Museum does, and I've studied with the Objects Conservator specifically at the University during Conservation Conversations seminars. I can arrange with him open times if anything requires that sort of precision. "

"How long do you estimate, and it doesn't have to be exact, just ball park, getting the materials for the piece? And..." Since so much seemed pretty much in the works and communicated, "When would you be open for scheduling a first visit to the estate to see the pieces and tour the feel of the place?"