Joan Elinor Lazarus began Frannie & Elinor as a result of repairing a necklace her mom had left her. Her mom, Frannie, loved to wear wonderful, interesting jewelry. No matter how hard her life was or had been, in those moments when Frannie put on earrings or a great necklace, she changed. She stood more confidently. She felt beautiful and a bit more visible, valuable and in control of her life. However private, personal or fleeting those moments were, they brought her great joy. Joan named her business after her mom (and the middle name she gave her) to honor the importance of feeling seen and in control of your life every day. Prior to Frannie & Elinor, Joan was a Professor Emeritus of Theatre/Theatre Education at UT Austin where she worked with teachers and artists applying theatre processes to engage children and others in learning, collaborative problem solving and dialogue about issues of personal, historical and social import. The mission of Frannie & Elinor, like her work as an arts educator, is to inspire others to feel beautiful, valuable and visible. 

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