Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Mary Oswald with me. Welcome.
Mary Oswald: Thank you.
Toni: So, Mary, take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Mary: Well, like you said, my name is Mary Oswald, and I live in Kutztown, in the country. I actually live closer to Virginville than Kutztown. I came to Berks County over 30 years ago after I graduated high school. I grew up in Levittown, and I came to Kutztown State College, as it was known back then. While I was at Kutztown, I was in the communications department, and I befriended a lot of the art students. Two of the people I befriended were Kermit and Lisa Oswald of Sorrelli Jewelry that eventually became my in-laws.
I had left school after two years to move to London. I lived in London for about a year, came back to America, moved to New York where Kermit and Lisa were intimately involved in Keith Haring, because Kermit is best friends with Keith, or was, I’m sorry to say. Keith was just ascending into this multinational artist, well known. He was doing a lot of projects. I reconnected with Kermit and Lisa on a Keith Haring project, and Kermit’s brother, Kurt, flew in from Illinois where he was doing his Ph.D. work, and we fell in love. Love at first sight. We got married. We’ve been married for about 30 years. Our life together has taken us to York County and out to Cleveland, and about 10 years ago we came back to Berks County to live near family. It’s been a full circle. That’s where I am today.
Toni: So here you are!
Mary: That’s right.
Toni: What a great story.
Mary: Yes.
Toni: Let’s go into the Project.
Mary: Okay.
Toni: What does inspiration mean to you?
Mary: Well, I was giving this a lot of thought, because I have a small business that I make dog collars, and I’m constantly looking to be inspired. I would say inspiration for me comes from having an experience and that evolving into an idea which I take action on. The inspiration can either be something that I’m searching out for, consciously searching out for, or it may come upon me accidently. Right now, I’m in the middle of designing a booth for dog events that I’m going to, so I’m actively searching for inspiration to design the booth and all that kind of stuff.
Toni: Can you remember the last time you were inspired?
Mary: Actually, yes I can. I had been taking some very basic yoga classes at the Y in Fleetwood. I felt like I wanted to move my practice in a forward direction. I took a class at Building 7 Yoga. I was a little nervous to do it, because it was an intermediate class, and I didn’t know if I was good enough for it. I went, and the people there were just so welcoming and nice. It has now inspired me to continue my practice and look at other ways that I can live a healthier, more meaningful life.
Toni: That’s a great example of being inspired, and it’s moving you forward. As you defined what inspiration means to you, it is, whether consciously or subconsciously, something hits you and then moves you into action, as the example with yoga.
Mary: Right.
Toni: How do you put all of that inspiration into practice here in Berks County?
Mary: Well, like I said, I have a little dog collar business. I am constantly searching for means of inspiration to create new products, move my business forward. I have a little soldering studio, and in it I have several pieces of art from Berks County artists. I look at those, and it inspires me to go outside of myself and really reach for ideas that I wouldn’t have normally, because that’s what artists basically do. They go outside of themselves, but also at the same time, deeper in themselves to convey their feelings and their ideas. I guess art is a way for me, and especially local artists. Knowing that they’re around me allows me to do the same thing with my dog collars, because I never thought of myself as an artist, but it kind of is an art.
Toni: The thought that’s running through my head as you’re speaking is that it seems as though it’s a form of bravery. It’s a brave way of thinking to allow yourself to think in a different way than you normally would, to be brave enough to do so, and then to put that into action. That’s what’s coming to me.
Mary: Yeah. As you say that, that is true. It is brave to think in a different way and to put aside – I’m 53 years old, and I have a lot of set ideas, and to go beyond that is pretty brave and risky, and it takes a chance. I like that. I thrive on that, too. I think as I get older I’m more willing to take chances and be braver, because I figure, “Why not?”
Toni: Exactly. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Mary: Like I had mentioned, folks at Building 7 Yoga. They are just very warm and welcoming, and it allows me to be physical, which helps me to then clear my mind and be inspired with new ideas. I have a dear friend, Wendy Stevens, who makes these lovely handbags. She’s in Pike Township. She’s known internationally, and she’s a dear friend of mine. She works with leather and metal like I do, and I look at what she does, and it inspires me. As silly as it sounds, I just read the Taylor Swift article in Vogue magazine. She’s my daughter’s age. You think, “How can a young girl like that inspire you?”, but reading her story and knowing that she’s come from Wyomissing, and look at her path. It gives you hope and inspiration that with a small little idea that you can become something bigger.
Toni: That’s right. It doesn’t matter how old you are, either. We can learn from everybody and any story. So, what would you like your legacy to be?
Mary: I for a lot of years was a stay-at-home mom. I did not take a career path trajectory. My husband traveled a lot when my children were little, and I stayed home, and I was very happy to do that. I don’t regret it, but there was always something that wanted me to do more. I would say in my 40s, I got pretty depressed. I received my Bachelor’s degree. I had quit college, as I had mentioned, and it took me 13 years to get a Bachelor’s degree while I was raising my daughters.
Toni: Congratulations!
Mary: Thank you. I always knew I wanted to do more, but when you’re in your 40s and you’re just starting…we had moved, and 9/11 had happened. I felt like there were a lot of forces against me and my own insecurity, so I really had to reach deep and push myself to redefine myself outside of my children. I had several jobs, and now I have my little company. I guess what I would love as my legacy to be, and I’ve thought about this over the years, that if I ever achieved any kind of success, I would love to have that be a lesson for women that were in my same situation, that didn’t know where they were going and kind of lost in their 40s, and that it’s never too late to redefine yourself and move forward.
I feel so strongly about that, because there were so many times that I thought when I was in my 30s and 40s, “It’s too late. People do this in their 20s.” I feel a real sense of release. I would like to be 80 and still redefining myself, and the day I pass that people can remember me as well. “Look at all the different things she’s done up until the very end.”
Toni: And so you are living your legacy, right?
Mary: I hope to.
Toni: And constantly reinventing. What a great inspiration this interview will be for others.
Mary: I hope so.
Toni: Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Mary: Thank you for having me. It was a delight.
Toni: You’re welcome.
Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Mary Oswald with me. Welcome.
Mary Oswald: Thank you.
Toni: So, Mary, take a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Mary: Well, like you said, my name is Mary Oswald, and I live in Kutztown, in the country. I actually live closer to Virginville than Kutztown. I came to Berks County over 30 years ago after I graduated high school. I grew up in Levittown, and I came to Kutztown State College, as it was known back then. While I was at Kutztown, I was in the communications department, and I befriended a lot of the art students. Two of the people I befriended were Kermit and Lisa Oswald of Sorrelli Jewelry that eventually became my in-laws.
I had left school after two years to move to London. I lived in London for about a year, came back to America, moved to New York where Kermit and Lisa were intimately involved in Keith Haring, because Kermit is best friends with Keith, or was, I’m sorry to say. Keith was just ascending into this multinational artist, well known. He was doing a lot of projects. I reconnected with Kermit and Lisa on a Keith Haring project, and Kermit’s brother, Kurt, flew in from Illinois where he was doing his Ph.D. work, and we fell in love. Love at first sight. We got married. We’ve been married for about 30 years. Our life together has taken us to York County and out to Cleveland, and about 10 years ago we came back to Berks County to live near family. It’s been a full circle. That’s where I am today.
Toni: So here you are!
Mary: That’s right.
Toni: What a great story.
Mary: Yes.
Toni: Let’s go into the Project.
Mary: Okay.
Toni: What does inspiration mean to you?
Mary: Well, I was giving this a lot of thought, because I have a small business that I make dog collars, and I’m constantly looking to be inspired. I would say inspiration for me comes from having an experience and that evolving into an idea which I take action on. The inspiration can either be something that I’m searching out for, consciously searching out for, or it may come upon me accidently. Right now, I’m in the middle of designing a booth for dog events that I’m going to, so I’m actively searching for inspiration to design the booth and all that kind of stuff.
Toni: Can you remember the last time you were inspired?
Mary: Actually, yes I can. I had been taking some very basic yoga classes at the Y in Fleetwood. I felt like I wanted to move my practice in a forward direction. I took a class at Building 7 Yoga. I was a little nervous to do it, because it was an intermediate class, and I didn’t know if I was good enough for it. I went, and the people there were just so welcoming and nice. It has now inspired me to continue my practice and look at other ways that I can live a healthier, more meaningful life.
Toni: That’s a great example of being inspired, and it’s moving you forward. As you defined what inspiration means to you, it is, whether consciously or subconsciously, something hits you and then moves you into action, as the example with yoga.
Mary: Right.
Toni: How do you put all of that inspiration into practice here in Berks County?
Mary: Well, like I said, I have a little dog collar business. I am constantly searching for means of inspiration to create new products, move my business forward. I have a little soldering studio, and in it I have several pieces of art from Berks County artists. I look at those, and it inspires me to go outside of myself and really reach for ideas that I wouldn’t have normally, because that’s what artists basically do. They go outside of themselves, but also at the same time, deeper in themselves to convey their feelings and their ideas. I guess art is a way for me, and especially local artists. Knowing that they’re around me allows me to do the same thing with my dog collars, because I never thought of myself as an artist, but it kind of is an art.
Toni: The thought that’s running through my head as you’re speaking is that it seems as though it’s a form of bravery. It’s a brave way of thinking to allow yourself to think in a different way than you normally would, to be brave enough to do so, and then to put that into action. That’s what’s coming to me.
Mary: Yeah. As you say that, that is true. It is brave to think in a different way and to put aside – I’m 53 years old, and I have a lot of set ideas, and to go beyond that is pretty brave and risky, and it takes a chance. I like that. I thrive on that, too. I think as I get older I’m more willing to take chances and be braver, because I figure, “Why not?”
Toni: Exactly. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Mary: Like I had mentioned, folks at Building 7 Yoga. They are just very warm and welcoming, and it allows me to be physical, which helps me to then clear my mind and be inspired with new ideas. I have a dear friend, Wendy Stevens, who makes these lovely handbags. She’s in Pike Township. She’s known internationally, and she’s a dear friend of mine. She works with leather and metal like I do, and I look at what she does, and it inspires me. As silly as it sounds, I just read the Taylor Swift article in Vogue magazine. She’s my daughter’s age. You think, “How can a young girl like that inspire you?”, but reading her story and knowing that she’s come from Wyomissing, and look at her path. It gives you hope and inspiration that with a small little idea that you can become something bigger.
Toni: That’s right. It doesn’t matter how old you are, either. We can learn from everybody and any story. So, what would you like your legacy to be?
Mary: I for a lot of years was a stay-at-home mom. I did not take a career path trajectory. My husband traveled a lot when my children were little, and I stayed home, and I was very happy to do that. I don’t regret it, but there was always something that wanted me to do more. I would say in my 40s, I got pretty depressed. I received my Bachelor’s degree. I had quit college, as I had mentioned, and it took me 13 years to get a Bachelor’s degree while I was raising my daughters.
Toni: Congratulations!
Mary: Thank you. I always knew I wanted to do more, but when you’re in your 40s and you’re just starting…we had moved, and 9/11 had happened. I felt like there were a lot of forces against me and my own insecurity, so I really had to reach deep and push myself to redefine myself outside of my children. I had several jobs, and now I have my little company. I guess what I would love as my legacy to be, and I’ve thought about this over the years, that if I ever achieved any kind of success, I would love to have that be a lesson for women that were in my same situation, that didn’t know where they were going and kind of lost in their 40s, and that it’s never too late to redefine yourself and move forward.
I feel so strongly about that, because there were so many times that I thought when I was in my 30s and 40s, “It’s too late. People do this in their 20s.” I feel a real sense of release. I would like to be 80 and still redefining myself, and the day I pass that people can remember me as well. “Look at all the different things she’s done up until the very end.”
Toni: And so you are living your legacy, right?
Mary: I hope to.
Toni: And constantly reinventing. What a great inspiration this interview will be for others.
Mary: I hope so.
Toni: Thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Mary: Thank you for having me. It was a delight.
Toni: You’re welcome.
