My work explores how individuals craft their life stories, delving into the interplay of memory, perspective, and bias. I aim to unravel the intricate layers of fiction that envelop our existence, revealing the impact of these constructed narratives on our perception of self and our relationships with others.
So there’s nothing exciting about the second season of True Detective, but Detective Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams) does sport some pretty mean jewelry. It inspired me to make my own (smaller) pinky ring. Though the three rings next to each other look great, I personally can’t stand the feeling of metal making contact.
This piece was started a few months ago. I wanted to make it in a box shape similar to the stag I made, but gave up on that idea. I’m interested in layering cut-outs to create scenes. Telling stories in silver (and other metals). I think I’m going to explore that a bit more in the future. I’m also figuring out that I’m more interested in jewelry art, as opposed to everyday, functional pieces – though I like making those too.
Here’s the little mermaid, finally done.
If you turn it around, she kind of disappears behind the seaweed – like mermaids obviously would do in real life.
I have always had a thing for the song Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell, though I grew accustom to the Counting Crows version. I took the sketch I made at the 1000 drawings event and made an embroidered version. I think I’m going to explore embroidery for a bit.
Detail.
*This piece is now in the collection of Melisa Pierce.
A while back I made a little left-over-silver ring inspired by something I saw online. I decided to make a wider one with the perpendicular bar sunk into the ring, instead of balancing on top like before. This is one of my favourites now.
I take metal/jewelry classes with Rosalie Osborn Knaack – an amazing ceramic artist from San Antonio, Texas. One of the first pieces she set in silver was a ceramic chip from a piece of pottery that broke. It looked great and it made me want to do the same. I didn’t have any ceramic shards laying about so I bought a round disc at an “architecture festival”. This is how it turned out.
Metal class was cancelled last week as a precaution to not spread MERS, so I don’t have anything new to show. I figured I’d post some of the pieces I had made, but hadn’t blogged about yet.
Like my Black Fish pendant. This was my 3rd attempt at setting some kind of stone in silver. (Haven’t blogged about the first two either). It’s a piece of black onyx and though it isn’t oval shaped, it reminded me a little of the pendant Drew Barrymore wears in The Wedding Singer.
I cut out an orca/killer whale at the back because killer whales were my favourite kind of whale when I was growing up, and I thought the patterns on their skin would be a nice way to contrast the black and silver.
There are times in metal class when I have to wait to use certain equipment or tools, because other people are busy using it. During those occasions I try to complete small projects like this dainty (Aqua Chalcedony) ring – the kind the vulnerable-but-strong, kitten-loving, shorts-wearing girls on pinterest and weheartit would swoon over, and that you’d probably find on etsy.
I have quite a collection of staying-productive-while-waiting-my-turn-rings now.
I’m working towards getting my own equipment and setting up a small work-space at home, so I can create with no interruptions.
Inspired by a pendant the metal class instructor wears from time to time, I asked if she could show me how to make one. It’s basically two cupped circles soldered on the edge. While hers has a floral motif on it, I chose a sand dollar.
In 2012, when our architecture masters class went on a research trip to Mozambique, I found a sand dollar on the beach in Maputo – they are quite easy to find there. I liked Mozambique so much, I wanted to go work there after graduation. The sand dollar skeletons in Mozambique look a little different to the design on my pendant – the Florida “key-hole” dollar fit the circular design better.
As far as detail, I tried to give it a little dented texture – much like the sea dollar segments. I was told not to polish it too much with the machine, but to polish it by hand with sandpaper instead – I think that added to the washed-up texture and feel.
I did a variation on a sea-star at the back – in keeping with the theme. I left the centre intact to retain structural integrity.
A small pendant I made a few weeks ago. I still have to find a dainty silver chain to fix to the end rings. Until then, the pendant hangs as is in the picture.
The relationship between me and the instructor is an interesting one. I can’t expect to always do what I planned to do, and she seems to want me to do more traditional designs from time to time. She likes pearls. So I occasionally try to work some pearls into my designs. I saw a similar minimalist design with a silver bar somewhere and decided to make my own – having three pearls hang off it. As luck would have it, she only had three equally sized pearls in pink (not my favourite colour). Such is life.
Update:
Finally found a chain on etsy to finish this pendant with. I also made a mistake previously by accidentally soldering two rings that weren’t silver to the ends. I fixed that and added the chain. Done!
Suné Horn 
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