People are amazed by how many beautiful things there are in the world. As a traveler and student of cultures, I too am amazed. Not just by the beauty or dedication to artistry and tradition. But by the stories.

You can tell that I love what I buy. The hand-carved fruit from Volterra’s famed alabaster workshops. Uniquely Korean ceramics that trace its artistic and cultural roots back to the (3rd-9th century) Silla Dynasty. Fabulous Busatti tablecloths made by the same family in Italy for six generations and exquisite colorful tablecloths proudly made for over 200 years in France.

My mission is not that of a traditional retailer. I do not buy what I am told will sell. I look for the opportunity to enrich someone’s life, both that of the creator and the receiver. I believe that each of us makes a life from the people who touch our lives and the lives of those we love. The materials, patterns, colors, and shapes you will discover at Tournesol hold the power to touch a life. Something like — I want to introduce people to the cultures and traditions of the world.

Why do it? It’s what I love. I like when the work of craftsmen raises the level of respect that someone has for someone else. If you travel the world and only see what’s dangled in front of the tourist, then you miss the art and the culture that is thriving there.

The hand of another person has touched almost everything you see at Tournesol. Stand inside our store for more than a minute and you’ll sense the difference. There is warmth and energy given off by the items we display. Somebody has touched this material and said, “Yes. This is the way I think it should be.”