The Alligator and Palm Wood Weights
For The Swamp Collection I opted to make three pairs of hoops, but while I tend to make a lot of weights, this time I made two pair of more lightweight hoops for standard ears, and only one pair of weights. These weights are some real showstoppers.
To honor the spell of the swamp I’ve hand fabricated a large hoop earring, for a gauged ear, out of 10g sterling silver. Two striking pieces of Louisiana Petrified Palm Wood ((Lousiana's state fossil)), have been rest in14k gold bezels, framed on either side by intricately made, fine silver alligator paws. The gold running through the piece is there as a reminder that our growth and repaired damage adds to our strength, beauty, and value. ✨
The hoops have a diameter of roughly 3", and weigh roughly 1.5oz (or roughly about 42.5g) each.
Damaged Goods - A Collection Divided
I am beyond pleased to finally begin unveiling my new works, a full collection of one of a kinds, in four parts. Likened to, and symbolizing the four elements: earth, air, fire and water; there will be collection correlating to each: The Forest, The Swamp, The Desert, and The Ocean. The first two to be released were The Forest, and The Ocean, on October 23rd, when the Sun entered Scorpio (a time when we learn about the balance between light and shadow). And now The Swamp, on December 26th, on the final new moon of this decade as well as a solar eclipse: a time for ultimate life breakthroughs, growth, and new direction! >><< Which brings me to the title of this release, “Damaged Goods”. I started attempting to learn a new skill set three summers ago, and drew up the base of this collection then, but when I returned home to New Orleans I found myself deep in the darkest chapter of my life. Lots of intense trauma, and just a need for survival overpowered any ability to creatively focus on new directions. I had spent a long while attempting to keep all of my plates spinning, but many dropped. I’ve spent the last year and half very seriously working to properly mend those broken plates, which I’ve related on more than one occasion to the Japanese pottery technique of Kintsugi, the art of repairing cracks and damage with gold - to add to its beauty, strength, and value. Which is something I genuinely believe in: when someone actively works at healing their wounds, their trauma becomes growth, understanding, and more value. I wanted to use returning to this collection as a form of healing, so I applied these metaphors and techniques into my original drawings, and I adore the shape its taken. They maintain the integrity of being a true talisman of nature, made directly from materials I’ve found myself, be it the textures I use in the metal pieces or in the stones and shells I set, but also, each piece will contain that metaphor of gold bonds woven throughout to bring the wearer’s life more strength, growth, and value. I hope you treasure wearing these pieces as much I have making them.