Jewelry on site

I am finding that restriction is often a component, in some way, to my creativity.  I'm a complicated human being though so you might catch me at the right (or wrong) moment also whining about restrictions, inevitably in regard to money as it is the vehicle for making so many other things happen.

This piece started out with all brick but then I found several stones, including the focal one, that were just right so I changed gears. 

I relied upon my "stash" collected throughout the week and built this necklace on the ledge that holds the cottage.

The in situ pieces in this series of work act as an exercise in making peace with this concept - restriction in materials, time, even daylight in some cases. When working on these at the beach, high tide becomes my focus as each one brings with it a new set of "supplies".

I make most of my pieces life size - this would have been lovely to wear if it had been real...and not quite so stinky. 

The beach that comes along with the cottage is a dream and most mornings I was down there before anyone was up.

Found jewelry

I enjoy assembling found jewelry pieces so much that I've started to arrange travel plans around locations that might prove to have engaging"ingredients". And I'm married to a person who fully goes along with this though so we're good.

See over there

A created splendour

Made by one individual

From things residual

- Patrick Kavanagh

Although I use anything available and sometimes, in all honesty, trash can be disturbingly compelling, I was relieved to have found very little trash in Maine a few weeks ago. What was there was mostly fishing/lobstering related (not surprising).

I dispose of the trash (recycling when possible) but often leave the natural pieces in place. (Yes, I bring home a few treasures sometimes but after 50 years of picking up stones and shells I've become rather discerning.)

I watched this particular piece get washed away by the rising tide. Will plan ahead and film this part of the process the next time.

In Saint Helena last year I arranged a necklace of fish scales that blew away in the wind before I could even get a decent photo, "temporariness" certainly being part of this process. It can be both melancholy and freeing at the same time.

I hope you have a great week! I'm taking a couple days away from the studio to savor the dwindling summer before my husband goes back to work next week.

Gathered in the cleft of the rock.

More jewelry...who would have guessed?

Continuing my found jewelry (Nature jewelry? Found object jewelry? I don't know what to call them...) here at home, mostly on our evening walks. Mostly on the rail trail that runs through our tiny PA town and mostly as the sun is going down...which sometimes presents photo issues.

I'm so fortunate to have a husband who's completely content to act as my assistant. "Gather as many good looking walnuts as you can." I order and there isn't a quibble.

He carries rusty metal in his pockets for miles and alerts me to interesting bits of trash. He makes suggestions and critiques and handles my disagreement with critiques like a champ. ("What? No, the cracked, large walnut can't go at the very bottom, too predictable." )

First one I made without using my hands. 

The trail is shimmery for about 50 ft. headed south into Maryland. Almost all the rocks and even the dirt contains mica flakes and its like someone sprinkled silver dust across the path. Sadly the photos didn't turn out nearly the whole thing looked in real life.