Hi There! I'm Sara, the artist, and designer behind Sara Amrhein Made in Italy. In the Spring of 2000, I came to Florence Italy from California on a study abroad trip. Shortly after I arrived I met Luigi, the handsome southern Italian man who is now my husband. After a few years of going back and forth and taking some time off from school to live in Florence for a few years, I returned to Los Angeles to finish my art degree from Art Center College of Design, before moving back to Florence permanently in 2007.
Many years ago, I had a little blog called When in Florence, do as the Florentines, hence the title of this post. At the time I was working as a tour guide and Airbnb host and my blog was a way of sharing all of my favorite things about living in Florence. It still lives out there somewhere on the world wide web but it's probably best to let sleeping dogs lie, I'm sure it is painfully outdated by now. I do remember that I quite enjoyed writing that blog though so I decided that it was time to give it another attempt but from a different perspective this time.
So much has happened over the years, most of which has been spent building my jewelry brand, perfecting my skills in polymer clay, and honing in on my own unique design aesthetic. I've traveled far and wide to show my work and my work has traveled far and wide on its own. I've participated in countless shows, fairs, markets, and events in many different cities around the world and I have sold my pieces in boutiques in the US, the UK, Belgium, Japan, and of course, here in Italy. I've even had my pieces published in art books and featured on television. It's been a long and winding road and I have learned so much along the way.
While I was working to build my jewelry brand, I also met Anna Rose, another amazing American artist living here in Florence, and together we started a little cultural association called Creative People in Florence. Our main mission is to support the amazingly talented international community of contemporary artisans and designers living and working in Florence Italy. We've done so many things in the past 10 years and I am so proud to say that we have developed not only a strong following but also a trustworthy reputation here in Florence. Toot! Toot!
When Covid hit, I decided to close my brick the brick and mortar store that I had in the center of the city but I am confident that this is only temporary. When the time is right, I plan to find a new space and come back stronger than ever. For now, I'm working from a small table in my laundry room, in the beautiful little apartment that my husband and I purchased and renovated back in 2019. And as a bonus I also get to spend my days with Michelangelo, the most handsome Florentine kitty there ever was.
So now that you know everything about me, my goal with this new blog is to share not only my work with you but also answer any questions you may have about polymer clay, running a small business, and also about the creative scene here in Florence (or anything else you might want to know about the city) I hope you'll enjoy following along! And if you're not already, come on over and find me on Instagram and YouTube. I also have a Tiktok but it's very much in the early stages but you're welcome to join me there too if you'd like!
That's it for now! Thanks so much for sticking around and taking the time to read this post! It truly means so much to me and my small business.