As a small child, one of my earliest memories is of my Grandpa Jack. He was a cowboy...not the John Wayne version---Grandpa was rugged, rode rodeo, owned horses and he always dressed IMPECCABLY. He wore a Stetson cowboy hat, western shirt, with enamel snaps, Levi jeans so filled with starch they could nearly stand on their own and Tony Llama Cowboy boots. He accessorized with Marlboro Reds, hat pins and my favorite, belt buckles!
Although a cowboy in appearance and soul, he drove truck, moving from Independence, Missouri to Utah. He fell in love with the landscape and favored routes to Wyoming, with it's rolling valleys, small population and wildlife. There's something else Grandpa would have loved about Wyoming--
John Frechette!
John Frechette was born and rasied in in the North East, cheers religiously for the Red Sox, plays hockey and enjoyed a successful career on Wall Street. The development company he worked moved him from New York City to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to open an office for their newest project. Three years later, in 2008, the company went bankrupt.
"After my employer went bankrupt, I was "strapped". Strapped for cash and strapped for a job." and in one of the low points of John's life, something amazing was born. He started his own business and named it appropriately, "
Strapped Belts".
"Strapped started as a fun creative outlet. I have always been an artist but for a long time it was not a priority. I began exploring fused glass and it quickly became an obsession. When I began showing the work to others it was a big hit. I sold my glass work for the first time at a Christmas Bazaar in Jackson Hole that I sort of got coaxed into and I have not looked back since."
John Frechette is a human "Creation Station"! He attended high school at The Taft School in Connecticut and then continued his education, with a double major at Amhurst College. He followed in his two brother's footsteps, majoring in Economics, destined for Wall Street. "was convinced I needed Wall Street to make money, and I had not found an outlet for my art." His second major was "Art History". " I did a lot of art. Mostly photography in high school, and a lot of different things in college but never glass and I actually never took a painting class!"
Don't let "never took a painting class" fool you. He can paint. He admits, "I never painted until I had been in New York City, but I had my first art show in Jackson in 2005 and it has grown from there."
"You can view his original oil paintings at his
John Frechette-Art site. I love his silhouettes, they seem to capture a moment and freeze it in time. This one of a child doing a hand-stand brought back memories of my childhood and warmer days watching my children laugh and play.
Strapped Belts is a unique artform, made from fused and kiln formed belt buckles. Why belt buckles? "I live in the Wild West! Jackson Hole has been a big inspiration, but I really wanted to create something that both guys and girls could wear. The response has been great. The line grew from just belt buckles, to include
cuff links and
earrings, we have now added
rings and pendants and customers are always coming up with new ideas - coming soon are housewares from plates to glassware and hair pins etc."
Frechette says his product it set apart form others because "I feel like my glass work has separated itself from the masses by being clean and focused on design rather then glitz and glitter. I produce simple designs and good color pairings. Plus most of my designs are all one of a kind, so not only are customers getting something beautiful they are getting a truly unique piece of wearable art."
Given his vast talent, I asked Frechette, what his absolute favorite creation has been so far. Without hesitation he answered, "My family (2 Brothers, 2 Sisters and 18 Nieces and Nephews) kept harassing me to create a Red Sox buckle, we are big Sox fans and when I finally mastered the pair of "red sox" the whole family thought it was time to celebrate!"
As if painting, photography and fused and kiln formed glass wasn't enough, Frechette might soon be learning a couple of new talents, "I would love to learn how to blow glass, also I think blacksmith work looks really fun!"
When he's not creating art, Frechette says, "I love to play and coach hockey. I have been a hockey player all my life and all through college. Now, living in Jackson, I coach an adult women's hockey team, it is a great bunch of women and something I really enjoy. And living in Jackson - I love to ski - of course!"
Of course, moving from the North East to Jackson Hole might be a culture shock to most of us, Frechette says, "Jackson has been a great creative environment. The people here are great at supporting local art and it has definitely fostered my art. As far as the east coast I mostly miss my family and friends, but I have gained so many new friends a new family out here . I also really miss going to Red Sox games."
John Frechette is living the dream. He took an unwelcomed event and transformed it into an opportunty. What does he consider his greatest accomplishment so far? "Tough Question - but I am pretty proud of figuring out how to pick up the pieces after losing my job due to the recession and a corporate bankruptcy and beginning a start up company during a horrible market. Strapped has been a blast but it also started out as a necessity."
Where does he see himself ten years from now? "In Barneys but if you know Martha Stewart that could work too!"
Featured as a Great Gift For Dad, "Strapped Belts" was featured in the December 2009 issue of Pregnancy and Newborn--the magazine wrote:
"Cuff links for the not so stuffy businessman "
Grandpa Jack would be proud that Frechette modernized the Belt Buckle!
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Strapped Belts" line of belt buckles, earrings and necklaces are available on line at
http://www.strappedbelts.com/ or through
Mountain Khakis"Strapped Belts" can be found in Thirteen States and Internationally in Montreal Quebec at these retailers:
