Hidden Gems + Secret Sisters
- Anne Pollard James
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 12
Once upon a time in 2022, I was invited by Rachel Rose Dazey and Cat Cox to a Hidden Gem Dinner they hosted at Dillon Rose. The idea was simple: the two of them would host a dinner for eight other women who didn’t necessarily know one another, and didn’t know who else was being invited. The setting was Rachel’s studio, Dillon Rose Fine Jewelry.
It was just after my first solo show and right after I turned fifty. I was in that strange place that follows something big. Sort of like the floor feels like it’s settling beneath you. I was proud, grateful and excited, but unsure of what was next.
I was thrilled to be invited to the dinner, I’m a huge fan of both of those women, but I certainly didn’t realize what a gift it would turn out to be.
In all the ways🩷
Rachel had created an incredible piece of jewelry, and Cat baked it into a beautiful loaf of bread from her bakery, Country Bird. Ten of us sat around the table, passing the bread until one woman would find the ring, the glorious Helm Ring made by Rachel.
The guests that evening were all remarkable women. I knew one or two, but most were strangers. What I loved most was that none of us knew who would be there. When you know the guest list, you can prepare yourself. Maybe you dress a certain way, think about what to say, present a version of who you think you should be or fits. It’s not even necessarily conscious, but it’s an active social self preservation in a way. But because no one knew, everyone simply showed up as themselves. That created a kind of collective vulnerability that was rare and lovely.
When the plate of bread came to me, I chose a piece and found the ring. I had found the hidden gem.
Rachel had described it beforehand as a Helm Ring—a ruby at the center, set in 18-karat gold, with smaller rubies along the band. She spoke about the idea that when women experience moments of power, it’s important to share that power and let it guide your life.
I took that to heart. I’ve always seen it as a symbol of shared strength—of sororitas, of purpose. Finding that ring was incredible. Life-changing, really. Sometimes a simple act of possibility can completely open up your path.
After such big milestones—finding art, quitting my career, my first solo show, turning fifty, all in 2 years, felt enormous and undefined. The ring reminded me to move forward with intention, and to pour energy into meaningful things
That became Carson House Tulsa.
I always knew Carson House would be something special, I just didn’t know what it would be. And the really amazing thing is I didn’t have to know! I could simply move with the intention to build up other women, and it would become exactly what it needed to become. Creating Carson House was born out of a dinner among women. Sororitas.
I still wear that ring every day on my right hand, my painting hand. I notice it constantly. It shows up in my paintings, an easter egg of sorts. It reminds me of the why. To share, to build up, and to support other women in this community and to share power. That’s the work. That’s the deal.🩷
