January 17, 2008 Issue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
Dogged determination helped her stitch together major success story
Chestnut Hill’s Barbara Russell is world-renowned in the needlepointing field, but there is so much more to this nearly 70-year-old entrepreneur who has been in business for 37years. In addition to running an internationally renowned business, she holds the titles of mother, dog lover, teacher, artist, mentor, organizer and social activist. The New Jersey native came to Chestnut Hill from Woodbury as a bride in the 1960s. While majoring in Literature and History at Vassar College, she wrote a paper on two towns with parallel histories, profiling Haddonfield and Woodbury, New Jersey. She says she “saw her hometown (Woodbury) destroyed” because of the lack of appropriate zoning, while Haddonfield thrived because the town leaders properly planned for preservation and growth. Thus, when she came to this area, she joined the Chestnut Hill Community Association and became active in setting up a committees, overseen by Lloyd Wells, to develop and guide the community with similar growth and preservation issues. The group also advocated the concept of encouraging cooperative relationships among the Germantown Avenue businesses, thinking of themselves as part of a shared enterprise. “My philosophy was, if I’m not sending customers to another store on the Avenue, then we are all losing,” she explained during a lengthy interview in her bright Druim Moir home studio. In 1971, she took her avocation and turned it into a vocation, founding a needlepoint business in the lobby of the Hill House with Pauline Fanady, an interior designer. The duo designed and painted every needlepoint canvas they sold. A year later they moved to 8409 Germantown Ave., and Russell bought out Pauline’s interest in the business, naming the new store Barbara Russell Designs. Visitors remember entering the store and being greeted by a pair of Dandie Dinman Terriers; she still has two of this rare Scottish breed — Maggie and Jiggs. Dogs, her two young children and her customer’s dogs and children frequented the store, and she ‘went with the flow.’ “It’s amazing how close Americans get to their dogs. My first sale at a trade show was a bulldog design, and I stuck with the dog theme for many years,” she acknowledged. Her love of dogs has led her to specialize in this niche, working with Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show judges and breeders to capture the images of prized dogs on canvas. “I know this dog personally,” she said, showing a pillow depicting a Borzoi named Arthur, who, sporting granny glasses, looks almost human in his expression. “He’s a lovely specimen of this breed.” More recently she had an opportunity to expand into new designs with a wildflower and moth collection series to benefit Bowman’s Hill Wildlife Preserve in Bucks County. In 1990, she opened a second retail location in the lobby of Rittenhouse Square. She closed the second location in 1993, but her design line was picked up nationally as opportunities associated with the Internet made such exposure possible. Her web site, www.usaneedlepoint.com, boasts hundreds of patterns for sale. Pillow patterns start at $140 and go up to $200 per canvas. Smaller items, such as belts, are in the $75 range. Other popular items include eyeglass cases and small purses. In 2005, Russell decided to close her Germantown Avenue location and began seeing clients in her home studio. On a recent visit to one of her Tuesday night classes, students talked effusively about Barbara — as a teacher, mentor and friend. Gywnedd Valley resident Isobel Barth wandered into the Germantown Avenue shop one day and has been needlepointing ever since. “We all had heart palpitations when Barbara decided to close the store. But she quickly extended an invitation for us to come to her home studio, and we gladly accepted it.” Samantha Gundaker, 17, of Wyndmoor was stitching away one recent Tuesday evening. “I showed my teachers at school and they were very impressed. They suggested I include samples in my college applications, which I did. It’s kind of neat. “ Wyndmoor’s Hollie Axel, who got Gundaker hooked, can’t say enough about the hobby. “I find it’s one of the most soothing one and a half hours in my week. We come, we talk, we compare stitches and colors and I leave very relaxed. In the end, we’ve created future family heirlooms. Also, if my husband and son are watching sports, I can sit in the room and needlepoint, and time just flies by. It’s kept a lot of peace in our family during football season.” Russell hovers over her students like a sage. Axel adds that Russell has taught her that when something isn’t working, it’s OK to start over. “In this day of I-pods and technology, it’s nice to see some young women sharing in the art and creativity of needlepoint. I let them choose the threads and colors and sit back to see what happens,” said Russell of her protégés. “We add beading details and use new colored silk threads, and they create some wonderful art.” Indeed, beading and needlepoint have been joined together for many years, as evidenced by a pillow Russell designed based on her Fuji Mum logo when her business was in its infancy. “This is a family heirloom. I hope it will be passed along from generation to generation,” she says with a glint in her eye. “It’s very special to me.” Last fall, she took a trip to Peru to explore collaborating with women there on a project where she could provide the needlepoint patterns for the cuffs of sweaters the women knit. The photo of the native women and an Alpaca and an eagle poking its head over Russell’s shoulder was used as a fun holiday card. In her Tuesday night classes, she teaches beginners to advanced needlepointers up to 400 different stitches. Russell travels locally to Lancaster and around the country for various trade shows and to conduct classes. As her students stitched away, Russell talked of the relaxing effects needlepointing has on individuals. “It’s a soothing rhythm using the hands. It’s very therapeutic. I remember a big, hulking Philly cop came into the shop one day, and he shared with me his experiences stitching as a form of relaxation. This is all so much a part of me that I don’t think I’ll ever fully retire from it. For the most part, it’s fun, not work.” Barbara Russell can be contacted at 215-247-1313 or go to www.usaneedlepoint.com. Barbara Russell is teaching an introductory needlepointing class at the Springside School on the evening of February 7th. The cost is $25, and reservations should be made through the school by calling 215-247-4700. Registration is also accepted at www.springside.org. Barbara Sherf is a Flourtown-based writer, publicist and speech coach. You can reach her through her web site at www.communicationspro.com or by calling 215-233-8022.
|
