Inner-views

Me & My Beloved Sister: Brenda "Doni" Johnson

PIA ~ OUR STORY  
Years  later, Doni left her career on the road as a dancer with Sammy Davis  Jr. and a few stints with the James Brown Revue. While on tour she met  and fell in love with a military man. They married and she settled down  in Hagerstown, Maryland raising three wonderful sons and a daughter.  As adults, we remained close as sisters do.

Later Doni moved to Philadelphia and became a strict "I don't eat any flesh" vegetarian  wheat grass drinking, health advocate, long before it was popular.  In the early nineties, she asked my advice on  how to naturally lock her hair, as I had lived in Jamaica during the  70's and had grown "dreadlocks" as we use to call the hairstyle.   In  2008 Doni always supportive of my cultural and storytelling activities,  came with me on a trip to Baltimore for The Griot Circle of Maryland's  Love Concert. On the bus I snacked from the plastic bag of seasoned raw  kale she prepared especially for me. We knew on this diet, we would   live forever.  

Doni  was employed by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. However, on her own  time, she nurtured her creative spirit with a home based business.  "Gems of Desire" a signature collection of waist beads made with  precious and semi-precious gemstones.

The  waist beads are worn from the cradle to the grave by many women in  countries throughout Africa. She introduced this practice to American  women and had a growing clientele in the Philadelphia area.

      Doni traveled the world, from Africa to China for conferences, as an advocate for women and children's rights.  She also  developed  programs and ran her own business which benefited many families in need  throughout the tri-state area.  Doni's popular "Homemaker Home  Healthcare Agency" trained and employed women as home health aides. Many  woman benefited from this training and also have fond memories of  Doni's positive and productive impact on their lives. 

       On a personal level, Brenda "Doni" Johnson serenely lit up any room she  entered with her lovely locks flowing or wrapped up neatly in a crown.  Her classic Afrocentric eclectic attire won many admirers. Doni  was an original organic earth mama, beloved, and admired in her  community of social activist, artist and the Philadelphia Parking  Authority employee's.

To this day her shinning presence is deeply missed by all who knew her.

       After her sudden illness and passing, her daughter Tiffani, kindly  offered me her mother’s collection of precious gemstones and jewelry  findings. Handing them over to me, in 3 big brown boxes. The boxes held  just a small part of Doni's creative spirit, unique style and generous  nature. I found over a thousand beads in various containers, little tiny  precious stones. 14K gold and sterling silver findings (clasps,  spacers, etc.)    It was with mixed feelings that I accepted the gifts. I had no idea  what to do with all the stones and didn't know what "findings" even  meant.  Ultimately, I was happy to have something more than my inner  vision memories and photos of her. I was so saddened from the  circumstances of her sudden death, through my tears I graciously  accepted the unexpected inheritance.

       Making jewelry was never on the top of my list of things to do in life.  When I finally sorted through the box, seeing Doni's client list,  unfinished pieces and just thinking about Doni, no longer a phone call  away, I put the box  aside. Her VHS videos "Beading 1, 2, 3"  I transferred onto DVD, and as  I watched it...it was soooo boring. I was certain I'd never find the  time or interest to pursue the art of jewelry making.

      My creative passion since my teens years, was arranging music to my  poetry, creating songs, writing poetry, storytelling, and most recently  playing (Barry Black & Ruby Red) my bass guitars. 

Jewelry, I don't wear much jewelry, so to make it? Well, I just wasn't feeling it.

I never imagined it would transform my life. 

      In September of 2010 I met a lovely young lady name Felicia of Rahway, NJ. Felicia was visiting with  our congregation in Pennsylvania with her husband and friends. My  husband and I hosted a gumbo dinner for our new best friends on our  backyard patio. As Felicia and I chatted, I mentioned I had "inherited" a  box full of precious stones and jewelry findings. Felicia lit up,  exclaiming that she also made jewelry. Felicia offered to teach me and a  friend who was visiting with us, how to make jewelry, and before I  could say, "If I find the time"…we were off to the nearby craft store  purchasing the necessary tools. My credit card was crying out..."Not  again"!  But I suddenly felt that this was a purchase that would really lift my spirits, as I was in a creative slump. The same time Doni died, my 88 year young mother was diagnosed with cancer and her condition weighed heavily on my heart.

       Felicia gave one demonstration, she made a necklace and a few sets of  earrings.  I was fascinated at the simple beauty of her creations. Later  that evening I copied her hand, the detailing and creative process  proved to be comforting, and very peaceful. Since then, the zen of it  all takes over me and I can’t seem to stop making necklaces, earrings  and eventually I made bracelets. 

       Back at the craft store, I discovered silver drama mask center pieces,  you know, the sad and happy faces. So with my "drama mama's" (The West  Chester Community Performers) in mind, I designed and made 8 necklaces  in various colors, using stone, glass, and Doni's "Gems of Desire"  gemstones. 

     After the drama groups business meeting, I displayed the necklace and earrings on a black velvet cloth on Diane's dining room table.  The ladies were calm, complimentary, then excited, then buying, and  placing orders for more! I was pleasantly surprised to see my creative  vision was appreciated through this new found creative outlet. I  was amazed! 

   A  month later, I was one of the featured poets at the "Sound of Jazz  & Poetry" event in Philadelphia. At my merchandise table of CD's, I  also put on display a few of my one-of-a-kind jewelry  creations.  I named that first collection,"Divine Inspirations" because  it best described the moments I spent making them.  After my  performance, we (my good friend Darlene) sold sets, earrings, and took  orders. I was thrilled!  

       The jewelry making process is quiet, tedious, detailed and time  consuming. Yet, for some reason, designing came natural and the finished  product lifted me, and I felt creatively satisfied. 

       One day my husband gave me a special gift, the newly released box set of the Soul Train TV show collection.  I  popped in DVD after DVD.  I sat and sang, laughed, jumped up and did  the funky chicken (to keep the bones movin’) and continued designing and  making jewelry as I rode on the hippest trip on TV! So I often take the  liberty to advertise, that my designs are created and inspired with a  healthy dose of love, peace n’ soulllll! 

       Now get this...while focusing on Doni's beautiful stones, it just so  happen that TJ's Rocks & Gem Crafts, a gemologist shop, opened up in  nearby Downingtown, Pennsylvania. With Tom's help and great discounts, I  was able to add to the Doni's gemstones.  From TJ's, I invested in the  new beauties, and whatever caught my eye. Tom was patient and kind with  all my questions as he taught me all the names of the stones. This part  of the journey gradually revealed in me a natural curiosity to learn  more, to design and continue making jewelry.

       As I passionately designed, strung and created into the night, I  marveled at the various markings, swirls, curls, blotches, pimples,  dimples, creases, and various imperfections in the stones.  I fell in  love with the caramelized flow of Carnelian, the organic glow of green  Adventurine, the mysterious Onyx. They felt crisp and cool in my hands.   I held them up to the light and was amazed at the creamy swirls of  lovely unique inner-markings. Natural  variations make each stone unique. I became fascinated with the history  and variety of stones, quartz, gemstones, minerals and crystals. 

        A few of the favorite beauties I love and inherited from Doni's collection are:  

Tiger  Eye, Aventurine, Agates, Amethyst, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Citrine,  Coral, Goldstone, Hematite, Howlite, Jasper, Jade, Lapis Lazuli,  Malachite, Moonstone, Mother Of Pearl, Obsidian, Onyx, Peridot, Rhodonite, Opal, and Turquoise, to name but a few.  All black stones in my collection are genuine Onyx or Obsidian.  My niece had given me Doni's treasure box!

          The collection is not extravagant, only valuable by enhancing the  beauty of the wearer.  Formed from minerals in the earth, I price mainly for the value of time, the elements used, and it varies by cost of stones, making for reasonable pricing.  Stones  are complemented by glass, ceramic, resin, bone or shell beads, and I  feel my designs are unique and elegant, like my friends. The ethereal  sounds of the names alone, have opened a new world for me in  appreciation of our paradise earth.   

      I ordered a precious stone & gem book, googled information on the  stones. I gazed in amazement at the intriguing world inside of Tom’s  earth shop. A store filled with lovely natural stones, rocks, gems and  crystals gathered from around the world. 

        Thom's Gemstones is a stone's throw away! Showing off, right down the  road from my home studio. Folklore tells of precious gemstones holding  medicinal powers. It is not my personal belief, and I don’t promote them  as such. As we all know, fruits, whole grains and vegetables are the  best medicine. What we put IN our body, not on it, is what really makes  us healthy and pretty.

      However, the natural, original, elegant, organic stones are birthed from our earth.

For centuries gem stones have found their way around our necks, waists, wrists and earlobes, enhancing our natural beauty.  Eventually,  I needed a public persona for my growing collection, a byline, a  description, a moniker, something that speaks to the stones, to me, and to all unpretentious ladies of natural beauty, class and style! 

          Stones from the depths of the earth...imperfect....like humans.
Hence, the name:

Pretty Imperfection Artwear  

    (A work of art, you wear!)