“We make WOW happen,” is the first thing out of Jimmy Vilona’s mouth. And he’s not kidding. Jimmy and his creative partner, Michael Cagliostro, have been making ‘wow’ happen for more than 30 years. Their latest endeavor involves crystals, minerals, and fossils carefully designed and meticulously crafted into unique home furnishings.
Their creative partnership is a family affair, with Jimmy serving as a big brother and mentor to Michael. Through each stage of life, Jimmy and Michael have been together. This even includes Michael being present for the birth of Jimmy’s four children. The business side of the partnership began in 1990 when the two men started a jewelry business in Jimmy’s garage. Here is where their careful design and meticulous craftsmanship truly began. And the public response was overwhelmingly positive. The company achieved more than $3 million in sales during its first 18 months in business.
Jimmy’s innate curiosity and his interest in the way humans have developed techniques over thousands and thousands of years drew him to a variety of apprenticeships. He is inspired to create art that is hands-on, drawing on tactile approaches that include forging, casting, and metalsmithing. His inspiration comes from nature. He looks to crystals, minerals, and fossils to find a record-keeping of the planet. Within each piece, he appreciates the stored history of our planet. It’s a history that he fears may easily be overlooked. As such, he points to these elements as the reason for his latest art creations. He wants others to remember and appreciate this vivid history through the beauty of the pieces he creates. And Michael’s creative direction is with Jimmy every step of the way.
Ultimately, Jimmy is creating a living masterpiece that enables you to uncover the treasures of the earth in your own home. He wants the natural allure of his mineral art pieces to transport you to a world of beauty. With his background in gemology, he’s able to select mineral pieces with the highest quality of color and crystal formation. He hand-selects the minerals from his own mines, carefully excavates the minerals and then in his Colorado workshop, each mineral is cultivated into a unique art piece. The process involves hand-forged techniques and touches of patina that are painstakingly applied coat after coat. Working through nature to develop and create each piece takes months to complete.
Jimmy’s art pieces are proudly displayed in the homes of the Hollywood elite, rock stars, politicians, and hotels within the Four Seasons and Hilton families. Exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces are also available to the public through the CagliostroLuxury.com website. Here you’ll find side, coffee, and accent tables, floor and table lamps, chandeliers of various shapes and sizes, an array of decorative bowls, and a variety of sculptures. Each mineral art piece showcases the ‘wow’ factor and our planet’s historical characteristics. Plus, it’s easy to find a color or mineral to provide the perfect accent for your home – agates in blue, brown, purple, white; onyx in aqua, ashen glow, blue, gold, pink, tangerine; amethyst, fluorite, quartz, ammonite, and petrified wood. With nature providing unmatched allure and exquisiteness, the options are endless.
