The naturally sourced, woman-owned business is a dream come true for artist Mary Kunze

A relentless dreamer, Mary Kunze, owner of Halibou Studio, has turned a childhood love into her career, and now uses her sole-operated business to share her handcrafted art and inspire others to follow their dreams. 

Founded in 2021 and operating out of Malibu since 2023, Halibou Studios is a handmade jewelry business of primarily metalsmith and silversmith-made jewelry of all sorts, including necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings and more.

The business motto is “Chase Curiosity, Realize Passion” and Kunze brings elements from all her passions into her work at her studio. 

“Follow those little ideas that are knocking, those things that excite you and are running through your mind, follow them and give them a chance. Chase those curiosities,” Kunze said. “I truly believe that by doing that, you learn what your passions are and you carve out a path for your life, shows you what you’re missing, and also what you don’t like.” 

The inception of Halibou Studio dates back to Kunze’s childhood, when she recalled finding a hobby that she shared with her parents and her community during open houses of her family’s bird feed and greenhouse business. As visitors came by the greenhouse, Kunze would create jewelry collections made of beads, expressing her creative style and she would sell them to the visitors. 

She said an experience with her mother opened the door to what would someday become her career and since the beginning, her mother had always been her biggest supporter.

“My mom had taken me to a beadwork class with her in the city and I loved it,” she said. “I was begging for beads and all the materials to make my work. I would bring them downstairs and show my mom and she would say even the most ugly thing I created was great.” 

Growing up in western New York, Kunze and her family were very fascinated and inspired by nature, which led to her studying and obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in expeditionary studies from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in northern New York. There she became immersed in nature, greatly exploring the Adirondack mountains and Lake Placid. 

Her studies took her across the world and the U.S., leading expeditions and learning about the wilderness. As she explored state parks and natural areas, she experienced a creative gravitation to the handmade jewelry of different regions around the world. The artistry of jewelry made by natives around the world captivated her, and she desired to create her own art pieces. This academic connection with nature and handmade artistry built on her love for natural resources, a love that would soon be the core of her jewelry business.

Graduated and inspired, Kunze convinced herself to chase her curiosity, taking a four-day silversmith course in the Pacific Northwest. Beginning with soldering and creating small personal pieces, what began as a hobby was now gaining traction as a possible career choice.

Her pieces were garnering attention from coworkers and strangers alike, and after informing them that they were handmade by Kunze herself, she began to get personal requests and offers for personalized jewelry.

“I started getting asked for custom work and gifts for others and all those first customers is where it really all began,” Kunze said. “People were willing to spend their hard earned money on my craft. It really would blow my mind.” 

A steady progression of practicing more advanced silversmithing, and spreading word that she was practicing and looking for projects led into the pandemic, where her hard work and unwavering determination were met with unforeseen opportunity created by the subsequent shutdown brought on by the pandemic.

She honed her craft beginning with mostly sterling silver and American-sourced turquoise, and has since evolved to working with natural elements like fine silver, 14k gold fill, 14k pure gold, Peruvian Pink Opal, Mexican Cantera Fire Opal, lapis, aventurine stone, amethyst, quartz, jasper stone, freshwater pearls, Malibu-collected shells, and of course, beads.

Today, Kunze has a studio with a view through the canyon where she can look to the ocean, looking to Malibu’s nature for inspiration for her themed collections. She said that the process of creation of jewelry incorporates a poetic-like use of elements from Earth that encapsulates her love for the Earth’s natural resources. She explained the use of fire for soldering and melting, the use of water for processes like rinsing and bonding, Earth for the materials used and air for oxidation and cooling.

“What I do comes from the Earth,” Kunze said. “It’s a natural process to create that has intention and adorns our bodies. It symbolizes our experience with life and how we walk through this Earth. Our experiences are different from person to person but we can all be linked by these singular things.”

Her boutique operates mostly online, with her collections dropping on her website. Her work could be found on Haliboustudio.com and her designs and collections could be also seen on her social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @HalibouStudio. 

The proceeds raised will go to pay for the children’s art, music, and tech programs

By Barbara Burke

Special to The Malibu Times

Inquisitive little ones peered at the intriguing cards with all those numbers, trying to figure out how the game worked.  Adults tenderly explained the game’s goals as community members, Our Lady of Malibu Church’s parishioners, and its school’s parents and students gathered on Jan. 25 for the school’s well-attended second annual bingo fundraiser. Attendees enjoyed pizza, pasta, salad, and of course, there were many delicious items to choose from at the bake sale.

“We’re excited for the bingo event,” Principal Richard Nambu said. “The proceeds will go to pay for the children’s art, music, and tech programs.” 

Nambu proudly showed off the school’s technology room. 

“That’s the beginning of the students’ projects as they begin to build a solar car, and over here is where the robotics team is starting to build their robot projects,” he said. “Before the pandemic, our robotics teams were very successful — they even traveled to Paris!”

Nambu warmly greeted attendees, smiling broadly as he added, “This is a community-building event and people come to enjoy, eat and gather!”

Joey Amini, a member of the school’s parent guild, whose daughter, Sienna is a first-grader, had a pleased expression as he carefully arranged all 78 donated prizes.

“This is the most fun night of the school year,” Amini said. “This event brings together all of our families who come to support our little gem of a school and we have great, amazing prizes, great food, and great company!”

Tables full of colorful prizes adorned Sheridan Hall, showcasing stuffed animals, games, T-shirts donated by local companies, and everything from dart boards to balls for all kinds of sports. There was something for everyone to enjoy winning if only … if only, one of their cards provided them with the wonderful opportunity to yell out “Bingo!”

After Nambu led a communal prayer, excited attendees were off on their bingo adventures. 

School parent Steve Graham served as emcee, announcing the drawn numbers that were displayed on an electronic flashboard. His daughter, Skylar, joined by her fellow sixth-grader, Abrianna Johnson-Mann, helped to keep track of the winners’ tallies of numbers.  

Fifth-grader Jacob Wells excitedly went to claim his prize, an entertaining game called Pie Face.

“It was hard to win!” Wells exclaimed, as he held up his winning card juxtaposed with his prize. “It was mostly luck!”

Smiling amidst all the mayhem, parishioner Aimee Handal was thoroughly enjoying the experience.

“I just like to support our parish,” Handal said. “I was baptized at Our Lady of Malibu, and when I saw the notice in the church bulletin that we were having a bingo fundraiser, I was delighted to join in.”

Across from Handal, parent Keith Rivers watched as his daughters Hazel, 9, an OLM fourth grader, and Georgia, 6, a first grader, looked around in awe, surveying all the bright lights near the bingo caller and all the toys and games at the prize tables. 

“I’m excited that Our Lady of Malibu is bringing all of us together for this fun night that helps benefit the school.” Rivers said.

As they dispersed, their tummies full of delicious food, and some of them carrying their treasured bingo prizes, attendees’ faces seemed to communally say that bingo night at OLM put the “fun” in fundraiser!

Brandon Burchard spoke at Planning Commission meeting last November to support skatepark 

At age 3, Brandon Burchard knew he wanted to be a skater.

“I’ve been doing it for about eight years now and I love it — it’s my favorite thing in the world,” Burchard said. “I started skating because my mom got me into it, at first. It was kinda scary, but as I did a little bit more, I started to like it a lot more.” 

In addition to skating, Burchard loves surfing, basketball, and snowboarding. Burchard also looked up to his mom, who ran track, and his sister, who loves swimming. 

“I started skating, and I liked it my whole life and it’s part of my life now,” he said. 

Although Burchard is grateful for the current temporary skatepark at Malibu Bluffs Park, he is excited about the permanent skatepark coming to fruition. On Nov. 30, the Malibu Planning Commission approved the 12,500-square-foot permanent skatepark. The community has been utilizing the temporary skatepark since 2019. Burchard attended and spoke at the meeting and said he travels outside of Malibu to other skateparks to practice and to compete. 

“I’m really grateful for the park that we have right now, but I feel like we’ve outgrowing it,” he said at the meeting. “We need to skate bigger and better stuff.” 

Burchard mentioned a few skateparks he likes going to, such as the Skatepark in Venice Beach, The Cove Skatepark in Santa Monica, and Vans Off The Wall in Huntington Beach.

“I don’t go to that one often because it’s far [about an hour and a half from Malibu], but they’ve got some cool ramps,” he said of the Vans Off The Wall park.

Malibu resident and part-time skateboard coach Chris Rodgers said while the permanent skatepark in Malibu was being addressed at the Planning Commission, Burchard was training for the National Amateur Championships.

And when it came time to compete in the San Diego event, Burchard placed first in Vert/Bowl, first place in Park/Mini, and second place in Street in the 12-15 age division. 

“I’m so proud of this little Malibu national champion and how hard he worked to achieve this,” Rodgers said. “It really just backs up the importance of our Malibu community’s need for a high-quality permanent skatepark.”

Rodgers said, like Burchard, there are many talented people in Malibu that need to be recognized.

“I get emotional when I hear his name at a contest, ‘Brandon Burchard from Malibu, California!’ and I get so proud to hear that,” Rodgers said. “He competed with so many guys who fly out from all over the country, so he was a representative for Malibu for Malibu youth and a contingent of great skateboarders that we have here.” 

Rodgers also wanted to acknowledge Brandon’s mom, Tina Burchard, for supporting him and his love for skateboarding.

“Besides every man is a great man is a great woman and that’s his mom Tina Burchard, who put so much time and and effort and money and sacrifice for years bringing folks like me and all other instructors in to have him be able to spend so much time practicing his skills and craft,” Rodgers said. “It takes a village and his parents being completely behind him.” 

With skateboarding being in the Olympics and being accepted as a lifestyle and a sport, Rodgers hopes to see more Malibu champions.

“In a community like this with so much surfing and skateboarding, history and culture, I want people in our community to know that we have talented people like Brandon,” Rodgers said. “I’m just really proud of what he’s accomplished this past year and how hard he’s worked and I’m just grateful for the time I spent with him; skies the limit.”

Burchard gave some advice to those interested in skating for the first time. 

“I think it’s a really fun sport once you get to learn it; I think you’ll love it, and if you fall, just get back up and try it again,” Burchard said.