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When Kate Williams reconnected with Deborah Stocker in 2006
both had little idea that their new venture – Global Design Connections – would
prove so successful that 16-hour days and seven-day weeks would be the norm.
Uniting myriad talents – both are adept at design, marketing, sourcing, and
manufacturing – they’ve created a multimillion-dollar operation in less than two
years servicing major retailers with tableware, packaging, and promotional
materials, the whole kit and kaboodle. This one-stop shop, multi-purpose
operation based in their respective environs – Williams works out of
Connecticut; Stocker is based in Massachusetts – is a 21st century invention
capitalizing on 40-plus years of experience tailored to retail clients. Shipping
direct container loads developed exclusively for majors like TJMaxx has proven
frenetic, Williams admits. “It’s been a lot of work, much more than either Deb
or I thought it would be,” Williams acknowledges in her mile-a-minute patter
which just may be as jam-packed as the workload she’s describing. “The biggest
surprise and challenge without a doubt,” she continues, “has been the sheer
amount of work. Still, we’ve learned to balance and manage the business so it’s
not some runaway horse.”
The mustang metaphor is apt; the unbridled Williams clearly speaks her mind and
her workhorse business ethic yielded dozens of collections to launch Global
Design Connections last year. Although a few designs were drawn from Williams’
portfolio whilst she was director of design at the now defunct Essex Collection,
for the most part the extensive catalog was developed for the burgeoning
business. Happily for Williams, upwards of 80% of her time is spent at the
drawing board in her farmhouse studio overlooking verdant woods at the end of a
bucolic country road plying a trade honed over a quarter-century.
Williams was reared in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the daughter of a sculptor and
painter who instilled a deep love of creativity in all their progeny. “We grew
up in a house where art and literature were the mainstays,” imparts Williams.
“We had a steady intellectual and aesthetic diet of drawing, writing, and
painting.” No surprise then that Williams decided to forego a pre-med major to
study art at the country’s oldest art school, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine
Arts. “The tutelage was invaluable,” Williams declares, “and I developed a skill
level which allowed me to draw and paint anything.”
It’s a proficiency and expertise, she adds, which has proven very useful in
business. “For me, it all originates on a draft board by hand so mastering the
ability to create something on paper is critical,” Williams explains. “Whatever
I draw I can later manipulate on computer, but it all starts at the drawing
board.” Technology, she proceeds, can be a significant help, but it’s no
substitute for an artist’s hand. “Life is infinitely easier and amendable with
technology which is an invaluable device,” she accedes, “but it’s not where I
start.”
After graduation, Williams lived abroad for two years, a vagabond delighting in
travels through India and Europe, often setting up her easel alongside
picturesque landscapes, an indelible period which continues to resonate in her
work. When she returned to the U.S. Williams settled in as a decorative painter,
but when the opportunity to create a line of textiles provided a pivotal path
change she jumped. “I loved textiles and figured it was easy enough to do, but I
really didn’t have a clue,” she allows. “It’s always been my way to say I can do
something and then I figure it out later.” This baptism-by-fire in textile
design convinced Williams that home furnishings could prove the ideal field for
her skills.
One door led to another (including magazine photo styling in
which she still dabbles, time permitting) when in the mid-’80s Williams found
her way to tableware courtesy of Deruta of Italy’s Salvatore Termini, known for
giving designers their first shot at ceramics design. (Editor’s note: an article
on Termini appears on page 74.) Williams designed three patterns for Deruta. “I
didn’t find the execution as difficult as designing textiles, and I instantly
loved the category,” Williams says. “It’s so direct; you get what you paint.
It’s a true artisan’s medium and that’s very gratifying.” And creating shapes
tapped into her passion for sculpting. “It was love at first sight,” she allows.
Williams opted to license her designs from the get-go – “You can’t generate
money selling a design at a time,” she proffers – and found work with
enterprises like Porta, Sadek, and The Essex Collection. Despite her
considerable skills, Williams eventually came to a certain conclusion. “Ceramics
is a tough industry to make money in,” she laughs. “This isn’t just about
satisfying a muse. This is my livelihood and it wasn’t so easy generating
volume.” Still, Williams was adept enough to adapt her skills to a myriad roster
of clients. “I always design to my customers even if their market isn’t
necessarily my style,” Williams states. “I’m always directed by what they’re
looking for. Maybe that means having a tighter painting style or using a broader
stroke.
Whatever’s needed reflects my training. I was taught to draw whatever I had to
draw and that’s invaluable. I can change my technique, my hand, or my finish to
the task at hand. My style is what the customer and the marketplace want.”
When Williams’ association with The Essex Collection ended in
2002, the artist faced a crossroads. “Tabletop was growing very price conscious
and the price point was being driven down further every day,” she sighs. A brief
hiatus led to reconnecting with Stocker and the decision to create Global Design
Connections which would tap the creative skills of both. “Kate’s a great artist
and I’m proud to partner with her,” says Stocker. “She has a unique painting
hand and can capture any style. If you look at our line you can see how Kate is
able to create many different looks in order to appeal to a variety of tastes.”
continued . . . .
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