For clothing and costume designer Jillian Bos, life is about much more than material concerns.

Bos was living in Miami, running a lucrative business, designing wedding gowns, costumes and an assortment of apparel for special occasions, when she realized one day that she "felt dead inside," and it terrified her.

"You learn to listen to your gut feeling," she said. "If you do, you can't go wrong. The times I haven't, I've failed famously and relived the scenario over and over again."

Fortunately, the wise decisions have outweighed those instances. She has designed and constructed costumes for a slate of celebrities. The jewel-blue gown Maria Shriver wore to her pre-wedding party was a Bos design, and Barbra Streisand, Ursula Andress, Gloria Estefan, Carly Simon and Neil Young are among others who have worn her creations. After relocating to the area, she worked for Glimmerglass Opera's costume shop, as a draper, for last summer's production of Agrippina.

"Jillian led the Agrippina team constructing some of the stunning costumes designed by Jess Goldstein," said Ellen Baker, production manager at Glimmerglass Opera.

After a year spent traveling around the country in search of a place to begin a new phase of her life, Bos felt a kindred connection to this area and moved to Toddsville. She arrived with two dreams in tow, both pertaining to young people as they strive for a career in the arts.

"It's no mistake that they call us starving artists," Bos said. "It's not just a matter of surviving, but thriving. There are a lot of embarrassments and foibles. There's no type of schooling that can prevent a person from running blindly into the arts. It's a boiling emotional cauldron."

Bos is working on her memoirs to help young people understand that no amount of formal education can prepare them for the reality of a creative career.

"Other professionals, doctors, lawyers, business people, are nurtured during their education process and are led down a career path. That's not true for the arts. You can get a technical education, but nobody teaches business skills or prepares you for the heartbreak and setbacks that come with promoting yourself," Bos said.

It boils down to understanding and appreciating your own self-worth, she said.

Her long-term plan is to create a three-part "creative thinktank" for children. She envisions theme-oriented events held once a month. For an Italian Renaissance evening, young people could participate in the painting of a backdrop, wear costumes, learn about the period, and cook a meal-all with the supervision of caring adults.

"Preparation for the responsibilities of adulthood begins at home and extends to the community," Bos said. "Students can learn that there are hip ways to spend time in a non-smoking, non-drug, non-alcoholic environment. This is a vision I'm excited about."

Bos is planning to apply for grants and hopes for community support as she undertakes the endeavor.

"It is necessary to nurture tomorrow's talent. Students leave school unprepared for the cold, calculating and dishonest nature of the business. You spend so much time in the creative womb room that you don't realize what's waiting. All business is cut-throat. I'm not living in a fantasy world," Bos said.

One trick is to get your money up front, she said. The nature of the business is that "you'll get a few kicks in the rear," she said, but if you still want to keep going, it is crucial to learn good business practices.

Bos has a mantra: My security lies in my ability to change. She said she values her past and is happy about the good memories people have in association with her work, which has appeared on the pages of Cosmopolitan and other glamour magazines. She is designing wedding gowns, costumes and special occasion ensembles from her home in Toddsville, and will be selling fabric and trimmings that she has collected over the years.

"I attended a workshop and learned that life can be divided into four parts," she said. "For the first twenty-five years, you're in your parents' care and getting the fundamentals down. For the next twenty-five, you're building your career. After that, people start coming to you for advice about how to get the ball rolling for themselves. And then, for those lucky enough to live to old age, you become a sage."

Bos can be reached at 544-1111 or jillians@localnet.com.