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Meet Ariane Shahbazi-Jackson of Two businesses: House of Serpentine and Lost Art LA in Venice

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariane Shahbazi-Jackson.

Ariane, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a college student at James Madison University, I was pursuing two worlds at once. In one hand, cultural anthropology: a pathway to understanding the world around me. In the other hand, the pursuit of money. Which one did I choose?

I chose to be a defense contractor for the Department of Defense, which is pretty far away from cultural anthropology. After college, I moved to LA from Fairfax, VA to negotiate and draft enterprise contracts for an aerospace firm in Chatsworth. I continued on this track for nearly a decade before something shifted, I had made the very difficult but clear decision to leave. I had reached a point in my life that I was reevaluating everything. My aspirations, relationships, the way I wanted to live. I never thought I would leave something I worked so hard to achieve but once I achieved it, I still felt empty. That’s when clay entered my life.

Clay is forgiving, it’s malleable and adaptable. As I started immersing myself in clay I learned quickly this would be the vehicle in which my healing would begin. It allowed me to release expectation, to center myself, to focus deeply on one thing and be devoted. Clay put me back into my body and out of my head, it cleared the static and chatter of my mind and grounded me. There is something so sacred about an art form that’s composition comes from the earth. It roots you and aligns your mind, spirit, and body. Ceramics dates back to prehistoric times. It’s found in every culture, no matter the geography, it’s in our collective conscience. Every time I put my hands in clay I go to church.

Fast forward four years and I’m a ceramics instructor, owner of a home goods company, House Of Serpentine, and a partner at a women-owned art collective, Lost Art LA. If you ever find yourself daydreaming in the confines of an office under the blinding fluorescent lighting, don’t be afraid to take the leap. Once you jump you’ll find that your network and world will expand to invite in the energy and people it takes to achieve what makes you happy. Find something (or a few things) that you enjoy doing, you don’t even have to be good at them, and just work hard. Commit yourself. Allow yourself to get lost into your work, immerse yourself. It will pay off, it always does.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest challenge was letting go of what no longer served me. I began to shift my perspective on how I measured happiness and success. It was scary to let go of the security and time I invested in my old profession. But once I took a step back and re-calibrated, I realized the benchmarks I once used were off.

A metamorphosis began to happen when I stopped to listen. I went from using my title and accolades, social media likes, and donning the latest designer clothes to creating a new set of metrics: investing in relationships, understanding my community, and creating solely for the sake of creation. I felt free and relieved, connected to myself and to those around me. The main thing I’ve learned through this journey is to make time. Make time for yourself, for those around you, and for seeing the beauty in the minutiae.

Please tell us about your two businesses: House of Serpentine and Lost Art LA.
House of Serpentine is a home goods store that focuses on bringing joy and beauty to the daily rituals of life. Our goal is to create intimacy between the objects you use and the space you hold. Elevating the things you own from simply being utilitarian objects to those that bring happiness and art into your home. Every handmade object is a testament to the existence of the maker. While the artist is impermanent, the art they create can transcend time and place. Art is a conduit that makes you feel.

Lost Art LA is a women-owned art collective. Hannah Sloan of Sloan Projects, Natalie Obermaier of Natalie Obermaier Photography, and Elena De Sosa a stained glass artist and entrepreneur are my incredibly talented and always inspiring partners. We all brought in our own flavor to form a collective that hosts intimate makers markets, which showcase our local artists and artisans. LA is full of extraordinary talent. From weavers to jewelry makers, writers, photographers, ceramists and painters. There is no shortage of art and eclectic minds. We formed our collective in order to bridge the gap between emerging artists and the public.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory is learning how to carve into wood from my dad. He would sit by the fireplace in an open button down, cigarette drooping between his lips, Tom Petty or Bob Marley playing in the background and would carve away at a piece of wood we found from our backyard. No stencil, no plan. Just chisel away. I was always excited to see what would reveal itself in his art.

Pricing:

  • Evil Eye Earrings $67
  • Frida Earrings $55
  • Ceramic Tumblers $28
  • Black and White Ceramic Bowl $95
  • Bella Weekender Bag $275
  • Amethyst Pillow $70
  • Ceramic Mugs $34-$36
  • Microceramics $15-$18
  • Extra Large Galaxy Bowl $250

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Allí Rath, Hannah Sloan, Natalie Obermaier, Kyle Ledeboer

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