I was recently looking through old photographs and came across this early photo of me at one of my first craft shows. I believe my mother took this photo at the Palos Verdes craft festival in the summer of 1976.
Marty, Early Fantasy Jewelry Display 1976
Marty modeling Celestial Fairy Neckpiece, 1976?
Marty making jewelry, 1977, Long Beach, California
Early Marty Macklin business card
I was fortunate to be at the right place at the right time. In the summer of 1978, Scott and I put our lives in “storage” and drove from San Diego to San Francisco to try our luck selling my jewelry at a few San Francisco Street Festivals and at Silicon Valley Art and Wine Festivals. The Silicon Valley was bursting with creative energy and the people working in the valley had alternative tastes in jewelry. My designs were well received and Scott and I traveled to many festivals, camping and couch surfing with friends and family.
Early Marty Macklin Silver Rings
Pegasus and Unicorn Neckpiece, 1976?
Early Two Headed Flame Dragon Neckpiece, 1976 or 1977
Frequently, we were scraping bottom, with no money to get us to our next show. I remember sitting at a “Denny’s” in the fall of 1978, with no gas in our tank and no prospects. Scott and I laid a few rings and necklaces on the formica table with a hope and a prayer that one of the waitresses would be attracted and buy a piece to finance a tank of gas to our next art show. We sold two silver hand rings to two different waitresses; filled our gas tank and our bellies and were on the road again.
Scott and Marty Macklin, Renaissance Costumes, early 1980’s
Marty in 1980+ Fantasy Jewelry Display Booth
In 1988 Scott and I became ex’s but today we are best of friends.
In 1990 I married Art Bobroskie. Art was at the pulse of the Silicon Valley computer industry and had worked at a number of start up companies as well as Apple and Microsoft. One evening in 1995, Art returned home and casually mentioned to me that he had purchased me the domain name martymagic.com. 19 years ago, I did not have a clue of the significance of this or even what the internet was?
Art, John, Marty, Maryland Renaissance Festival – 2004
The past 36 years have been a wild and fun ride and I look forward to many more years of shows, assisted by the creative and youthful energy of my two grown children, Alisha and John.
John and Alisha, Mountain View Art and Wine Festival – 2012
Thank you all for the encouragement and the continued support throughout the years that has enabled me to make my way as an independent artist and jeweler.