Tom Feldvebel, Artistic Director

Tom Feldvebel graduated with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy from John Carroll University (Ohio). He followed that with a Master of Fine Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology. He researched and rediscovered the collodian wetplate process, a 19th Century photographic process, also known as ambrotypes. He published a book, The Ambrotype: Old and New . Tom taught photography at Penland School of Crafts, the University of New Mexico, and Ohio University. He also received a Research Committee Grant from Ohio University to do field work in collodian wetplates, which resulted in a summer spent in New Mexico making ambrotypes using a 20" x 20" view camera.

Tom and Mandira started a business in 1983, called Bright Crystals and later renamed Crystal Realm. Tom did the computer systems integration, store design, graphic design, advertising, photography, and catalog for Crystal Realm. He and Mandira collaborated on the online store development for Crystal Realm. He has guided the company through three distinct incarnations of visual identity.

Tom is an accomplished, licensed glider pilot with numerous 300 Kilometer flights "under his harness," and he also designs and builds high performance radio-controlled sailplanes. He's always inventing something and is legendary for his ability to fix anything.


Mandira Feldvebel, Managing Director

Mandira studied business at Ohio University. She was CEO and operations manager for Crystal Realm, which has varied over the years from one to three stores plus a website. She and Tom moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2001 with the goal of retiring from the retail business and developing Foxpoint Design. At this time, there is one Crystal Realm store, and Mandira has relinquished management of that store to a long-time, trusted assistant.

Mandira has extensive experience in management, training, sales, and promotional marketing.  

Off the job,  Mandira likes to garden and make collages.


Rebecca Morton, Administrative Assistant

Becca hails from Tennessee, by way of Alfred University, NY, where she recently completed her BA in Comparative Cultures with a minor in Religious Studies. She spent a semester studying in Zimbabwe, and has plans to complete her Masters in Cultural Anthropology at UNM in Albuquerque.  Becca is our administrative assistant and in her spare time has fun with sewing and beading .