Derek James Smith and Rosannah von Moritz met back in grade school in Ghent. Some twenty years later, after varied careers across the country and around the world, they reconnected in the Hudson Valley, married, and relocated to Earlton in the town of Coxsackie. One month before the March 2020 lockdown, they signed their lease on the Catskill Main Street storefront that would become Constellation – an Astro Gallery that offers Puppet Divination, Astrology, Tarot, and In-House Art!
This husband & wife team faced a significant business challenge right from the start – they started the business just prior to the lockdown of 2020. Since they were not in business in 2019, they didn’t qualify for the COVID assistance including PPP loans and federal grants that helped many small businesses survive. Not deemed an ‘essential business’, customers were not allowed in until the summer of 2020, and even then, restrictions were in place. Emerging from the pandemic, they now welcome customers and clients in-person, and conduct readings and sessions by appointment.
With his Video Production degree from Ithaca College, Derek worked on a wide range of crews all over the U.S. A ‘maker’ at heart, he was drawn to performance, astrology, dimensional artwork, and puppet-character creation. With over a decade of professional experience, Derek offers intuitive Tarot readings that “blend heart and mind to help bring conscious energy to the elements at play in decision-making and life alignment”. He also provides astrological consultations that vary in scope and can be blended with other modalities to form in-depth, “hybrid” sessions. “Less predictive and more focused on the blueprints of individuality, natal chart consultations are helpful for understanding elements of your inherent identity, latent potential and how to align with life lessons”. Derek is also a practicing Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (CCHT), a member of the National Guild of Hypnotherapists.
Rosannah’s artwork adorns Constellation. She is the creator of an established line of illustrations and note cards, as well as adorned apothecary bottles, flower presses, and a variety of natural-world discoveries. In her own words: “I am deeply influenced by the natural world and find myself most rooted in who I am creatively when out in nature observing plant and animal life and chatting to any and all obliging creatures. Much of what I paint and illustrate is inspired by the combination of my love of plants and animals, as well as the heartfelt experiences I have shared throughout my life with the people most dear to me.” Derek and Rosannah also work together on the design and creation of millinery pieces ranging from the pseudo-traditional to the avant-garde.
Puppet Divination is especially popular with younger patrons, as Derek’s character Tollzar entertains with readings, and interpretations of his Astrological Disc. Now an established member of the Main Street Business Community, Constellation is a one-of-a-kind destination to browse, shop, and connect with the ethereal.
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Topics: Success Stories
