ShopMeet the Pergamena Crew
Jesse Meyer
Throughout his youth, Jesse Meyer was submerged in the family tanning business, Richard E. Meyer & Sons, where, from an early age, he honed an appreciation for the distinctive occupation of the tanner. While completing a fine arts degree in sculpture at SUNY New Paltz, Jesse began to experiment with the unique materials available at his father’s tannery. By the time he graduated, Jesse had developed a robust fascination with parchment. His extensive research unearthed a long history of parchment applications and uses — many that had been forgotten over time — as well as ancient methods of production, long-abandoned. It was enough to build a career on and, in 1999, Pergamena was born. In subsequent years, Jesse and his team have continued to research and experiment, blending ancient practices with modern applications, in an effort to satisfy clients and customers. Curiosity is a tough habit to break, so Jesse is always looking for new ways to make and use parchment.
Karl Meyer
Upon the retirement of his father, Walter, in 1973, Karl Meyer accepted the mantle of the centuries-old family tanning business, Richard E. Meyer & Sons. It was a bit of a watershed moment, as Karl’s original aspirations did not include leather — he’d actually earned a degree in chemistry. But soon, as Karl puts it, the business just grew on him. He discovered there was something nice about working for himself: the flexible schedule, the free leather samples that find interesting occupation around the house — and hey, that chemistry degree actually comes in handy. In 1981, Karl moved the business, along with his very own passel of sons, from their 150-year-old building in North Bergen, N.J., to a facility he built himself on the bank of the Wallkill River in the beautiful mid-Hudson Valley, N.Y.. Today Karl happily tans away, with sons in tow, offering a gorgeous and colorful array of artisanal-quality, vegetable-tanned leathers.
Ellen Sigunik
Creative occupation is something of a birthright for Ellen Sigunik, the child of a painter and a sculptor. Ellen showed a predilection for artistic exploration and self-determination from an early age. Already a practiced photographer at sixteen, Ellen left the conventional school system and moved to Kenya. There she developed a cohesive body of work based on relationships she formed with Kenyan street children; she currently exhibits the collection to raise money and awareness for her subjects. In 2006, Ellen had settled in New York City when she received a fateful call from her old pal, Jesse Meyer. He needed some help with his business, and soon Ellen discovered a new love in parchment. Inspired by the beauty of the more distinctive hides and surprised to find they were not commonly seen in design, she decided to focus on application, eventually forming her own company, Sigunik Studio. As chief artisan at Sigunik, Ellen creates strikingly beautiful custom pieces for heirloom-quality furniture and interior installations.