Reflection of Michigan
Sculptural jewelry containing natural elements found on the shores of the Great Lakes
Sculptural jewelry containing natural elements found on the shores of the Great Lakes
Growing up surrounded by the Great Lakes, I spent my summers traveling the coasts of Michigan with my family, hiking through the sand dunes and rocky terrain as weeds and twigs scratched at my ankles. My bare feet would skate across the cold wet rocks and the tide passed against my ankles. I couldn’t help but feel more alive than ever standing at the edge of the coast,wind flowing through my hair, and the lake crashing against the shore just feet below where I stood. I felt completely enveloped by nature, as if I belonged there, as if I had never experienced the hustle of the urban jungle.
My work allows the wearer to experience these feelings I have when traveling outdoors. Focusing on the natural objects, the metal working mimics texture, form, and appearance found in nature. Each is made up of both natural and fabricated resources to represent nature, such as branches, rocks, and Petoskey stones. These stones are particularly important because they are only found in Michigan, thus when implemented into my pieces, they actas a keep sake for the wearer from his/her travels. I used a black patina, which I rubbed away at to create a rustic, worn look, almost as if the piece has been sitting outside for some period of time.
The pieces are large, bulky andheavy. The scale of each piece is essential to experiencing nature. The neckpiece sits in the center of the chest with a branch stretching out behind it up across the shoulder. It is heavier on the neck and all together slightly uncomfortable. The bracelet is made up of branch shaped silhouettes that fit nicely around the wrist, yet can poke the skin invarious places during movement. This slight discomfort felt from each piece represents that of which one may experience on varying places of the body while wandering through nature. This is a point I wanted to make obvious. However, more importantly I aim to allow the beauty and noticeable presence of each to overcome these irritations, convincing the wearer to want to continue wearing the piece, and enjoy the feeling of being enclosed in nature, just as I feel as I continue to travel these same coast over and over again.
My work allows the wearer to experience these feelings I have when traveling outdoors. Focusing on the natural objects, the metal working mimics texture, form, and appearance found in nature. Each is made up of both natural and fabricated resources to represent nature, such as branches, rocks, and Petoskey stones. These stones are particularly important because they are only found in Michigan, thus when implemented into my pieces, they actas a keep sake for the wearer from his/her travels. I used a black patina, which I rubbed away at to create a rustic, worn look, almost as if the piece has been sitting outside for some period of time.
The pieces are large, bulky andheavy. The scale of each piece is essential to experiencing nature. The neckpiece sits in the center of the chest with a branch stretching out behind it up across the shoulder. It is heavier on the neck and all together slightly uncomfortable. The bracelet is made up of branch shaped silhouettes that fit nicely around the wrist, yet can poke the skin invarious places during movement. This slight discomfort felt from each piece represents that of which one may experience on varying places of the body while wandering through nature. This is a point I wanted to make obvious. However, more importantly I aim to allow the beauty and noticeable presence of each to overcome these irritations, convincing the wearer to want to continue wearing the piece, and enjoy the feeling of being enclosed in nature, just as I feel as I continue to travel these same coast over and over again.
