Coming to life

At the request of a very good, long time customer, one of my "found" necklaces is coming to life. The original piece was formed on a blustery day at Dolphin Beach last June.

Construction is coming along slowly so I'm thankful for her patience. I'm finding the look not terribly difficult to mimic (components were formed in the bowls of three sizes of spoons to achieve the shape) but the engineering in getting the pieces together in a way I'm pleased with is rather tricky. 

June is winter in South Africa and its typically cool and rainy although last year Cape Town was experiencing a terrible drought. In this photo, you can just make out the base of Table Mountain there at the horizon line. On a clear day, this beach has an amazing view, which has no doubt gained for the neighborhood its name as Table View.

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.