March 10, 2006 - After 26 years in Mongoose Junction, the Donald Schnell Studio is moving to a new location, according to a press release. The new gallery and studio space will open the first week in April on the second floor of the Amore Center in Cruz Bay.
The studio was one of the original, anchor tenants in Mongoose Junction, and Schnell said in the release, "At that time, there was nothing but bush from the post office all the way down to Mongoose. We all asked ourselves whether anyone would ever walk all the way down here just to shop. People laugh at that story now, but it was a serious concern."
The studio has designed sconces and hanging lights for resorts throughout the Caribbean, including Cinnamon Bay Campground, the former Carambola Beach Resort on St. Croix, and Little Dix Bay and Biras Creek in the British Virgin Islands.
The studio recently completed and shipped almost 500 sconces for the new Fairmont Mayakoba Resort in Cancun, Mexico, the release said.
Schnell also incorporates his lighting into his own vacation villas, melding traditional Caribbean influences with Italian travertine stone and terracotta pots.
Schnell visits the Umbria region of Italy twice a year to personally select the highest quality products, which he imports for sale in his studio.
"As St. John has matured, the island is now ready for these kinds of building materials, and people are always thrilled to find something that's already here on the island to select from," Schnell said in the press release.
The new location will allow Schnell to grow his line of travertine stone tile, table and counter tops and terracotta pots he has been incorporating into his villas.
Schnell said he hopes the new location will allow him create more of his ceramic fountains, signs, bowls, and platters. The larger space will also allow him to create larger, more sculptural pieces.
The studio accepts and recycles used packing materials (cardboard boxes, Styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.), which can be dropped off at the bottom of the stairs anytime, according to the press release.
For more information call Deborah or Donald Schnell or Eric Lidicker at 776-6420 or 775-2440. You can also visit www.DonaldSchnell.com or www.ArtisticVillas.com for directions and information. Or send an email to studio@donaldschnell.com.