"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child." - Pablo Picasso
I've always loved this quote from Picasso. Art is often going back to the beginning. I'm drawn to the art that calls at a primal level. Something that stirs the memory of a story that was told before us - a story of the ancients.
I'm trying hard to make jewelry that captures the wonder of discovering an ancient, rustic and crude treasure. Can you put yourself there, in the act of discovery? You enter a cave and see the edge of a chain. You pull it and there appears a raw natural stone, set in a battered, almost broken setting. Suddenly, your imagination begins to "remember" the story of this necklace. You put it over your head and the joy and magic of being able to wear a connection to the past engulfs you.
As I mature and find my style as an artist, I realize that creating such an adornment is the thing I'm most interested in. My work in the Metal Sky Collection has this inspiration, focused on the ancient symbols of moon, stars, sun and spirals. Some of my wedding rings reflect this - Ancient rustic opal engagement ring and the initials wedding rings are examples. And I realize that the Pirate Tides Collection is all about treasure hunting and wearing stories and secrets. (By the way, I plan on revising the Pirate Tides Collection this year.)
So, this week, I pushed myself a little further - a little more over the line. I made a necklace that is exactly my image of the found treasure in a cave. It's not pretty, it's not perfect - it is crude and rustic, raw and I hope - enchanting.
I can feel that I"m beginning a new collection. Right now it is unnamed. All I know is that it will contain the most ancient elements of adornments. Unusual and raw stones will fit here. Dark patinas on silver, gold, copper and bronze belong here too. It will celebrate the wonderfully human mark of imperfections. Each handmade piece will tell a story to all who see it.
This necklace is available for purchase on my website here.
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