The Artist ~ Olivia Carlin

Our designs are exclusive to Atelier Carlin - the artisan studio of Olivia Carlin. Madame Carlin's egg-shaped evening necessaires follow the design footsteps of the jeweled masterpieces created by Faberge. Mme. Carlin has had the privilege and thrill of seeing original Faberge Imperial eggs in many museums from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, to the de Young in San Francisco.

Olivia Carlin is an artist currently living in the shadow of a glacier-topped mountain overlooking the San Juan Islands in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Her design inspirations come from art masterpieces and performances seen during her years of sojourns to the great museums and performance venues of Europe and North America. Since 1971, Mme. Carlin has traveled extensively for inspiration and visually luxurious life experiences.

While traveling in Austria and the Czech Republic, Mme. Carlin saw the finest cut leaded crystal in the world and was instantly enchanted. On her return to North America, she created her first minaudieres.

In her youth, Mme. Carlin studied drawing, painting, ballet, piano, and voice. She earned a double-major Bachelor of Arts degree in dance and psychology at Mills, an exclusive private women's college. Post-graduate studies in color, light, and composition took place at the University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco satellite campus.

While living in San Francisco, Mme. Carlin was an active member of several museums including the Palace of Legion of Honor, de Young Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and the Asian Arts Museum. Now that she lives in the Pacific Northwest, she is a member of the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Royal British Museum in Victoria, and the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. She also supports Ballet British Columbia and the classical music program at the Chan Center, University of British Columbia.

Mme. Carlin's professional memberships include the Allied Arts Council, Artist Trust, Arts Alliance of Washington, Mills Alumnae Association, American Association of University Women, the Canadian Federation of University Women, and the International Federation of University Women.

Mme. Carlin's grandmother was a professional seamstress and lovingly bequeathed to Olivia a life-long love of fashion - the intimate medium employed by a woman to create her personal life theatre. Mme. Carlin has designed, drafted, and sewn many couture garments including bridal gowns and her own evening gown worn at President Clinton's Inaugural Ball.

Mme. Carlin has devoted thousands of volunteer hours to the causes of women's and girls' educational advancement.