Cavendish Women You Should Know: Young Women Entrepreneurs-Artists

March is  Women’s History Month. To celebrate, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) once again hosts the series “Cavendish Women You Should Know.” This year’s focus is “Young Entrepreneurs.,” women who in their 20s and 30s have started and are running their own businesses. Each weekend, throughout March, we will be featuring a different young woman entrepreneur.

We begin the series with two artists, both of whom graduated from Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) and are avid snowboarders, dog lovers and volunteer for the Cavendish Town Elementary School’s (CTES) Snow Sports Program.

Lily in her gallery to be!

Lily Calabrese of Lily Calabrese Pottery: The youngest of our entrepreneurs at 25, she is a CTES, GMUHS and University of Vermont (UVM) alum. 

Lily discovered pottery at GMUHS thanks to Mr. Lima. While an environmental science major, she joined a pottery coop at UVM and before long she was selling her work at Frog Hollow and teaching.

After graduating from college, she returned to Proctorsville and set up a studio at her father’s house. Before long, she was selling her work at craft shows, Stemwinders in Ludlow, farmer's markets and has participated in the July Town Wide Tag Sale the last two years. Yes, she does plan to be at this year’s event, with her incredible deals on seconds. However, she’ll be set up at her home/gallery on Main St. directly across from Svec Park (Proctorsville Green).

Lily says she is inspired by nature and wants to make fun things to brighten up a home. While there is a whimsical quality to her clay dog heads and other sculptural pieces, she also paints intricate patterns on some of her platters, plates and bowls. Each piece is unique and shows her creativity, love of design and a desire to explore and experiment.

In addition to her pottery business, Lily is a semi-pro snowboarder. She rides for GNU and heads out west several times a year. Some may remember that Lily won best in the state while in high school.

Lily in competition. We love our lady riders.

Like many in Vermont, Lily has worked multiple jobs and is known for her reliable skills as a pet sitter. Lily grew up with cats and goats, but more recently took on the responsibility of her first dog, Angus. A real sweet heart, she sometimes brings him to shows.

Lily is in the process of setting up a gallery space at her home, which will not only feature her work but also other artists, including Miranda McNamara.

Miranda in her welding gear.

Miranda McNamara of Miranda Kae Jewelry: Originally from Chester, Miranda is a graduate of Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls, Mass. Like Lily, she found the roots of her craft at GMUHS. Running out of art classes to take, she began exploring silversmithing in the metals workshop.

A selection of Miranda's Jewelry

After completing her program at Hallmark, she returned to Chester and started working for The Rock and Hammer  in Bellows Falls. However, the “Great Recession” in 2008 found Miranda without a job. The layoff became the impetus to create a workshop in her parents’ Chester home, and thus Miranda Kae Jewelry was born.

With the arrival of two children, Miranda took a break from her business. In the interim, she and her husband Brendan McNamara purchased a home in Cavendish, where Brendan is now Town Manager.

As Maryn and Brogan started attending school/preschool, Miranda returned to her jewelry. Today, after dropping off the kids at CTES, she

The Studio!

heads to her studio in Chester and works until it’s pick up time at 3 pm.

With the goal of moving the studio to her Cavendish home, she has the advantage of her Dad’s workshop and welding equipment, another skill she explored in the metals workshop at GM.

Drink stand from horse shoes and railroad spike.

She loves those rusty items, and recently finished her first piece of found objects welded together to create a drink holder.  Note the old railroad spike welded to the base so it makes it easier to push into the ground.

A puppy moment in a very busy life.

Have some old rusty metal you want to get rid of? Contact Miranda so we can all be amazed at how she can re-purpose discarded metal into art and functionality. She does this all the while balancing life as a mother, wife and pet parent to two puppies.

While Miranda has been primarily selling from her Facebook page, you’ll be able to find her this summer at local farmer’s markets as well as Lily’s new gallery.