Dreamtime.
My Dreamtime Collection of boulder opal jewelry honors opal’s Aussie origin as well as the infinite spiritual cycle Australia’s original inhabitants call “the dreaming”. Boulder opal is a talismanic stone to me. More deeply ‘earth-connected,’ more ‘grounded’ than any other gem I work with, I find it awesome that every opal carries with it a piece of the oldest continent on earth. Boulder opal also speaks to me of diversity, commonality and strength. While, like opals, we are each on the surface unique and colorful characters, under that thin façade of difference we are more alike than not, sharing the same basic fears, hopes and concerns. And, just as boulder opal’s ironstone backing makes it much more durable than its solid opal counterpart, so do we individually and collectively possess a powerful strength and durability.
Ancient Splendor.
The earthy splendor of ancient civilizations and more recent ones like the Byzantine Empire and Mughal India inspires all my work but particularly the Ancient Splendor Collection. An obvious form of beautification, Indian jewelry also functions as a vital repository of shared meaning, a visual language expressing spiritual protection, prosperity and social definition. Working with a variety of antique 20K-22K plaque amulets and gem-studded Moghul-style pieces, I repurpose them, pairing each exceptional link to the past with high quality gems & 18K gold to create an ethno contemporary look, traditional Indian motifs w/a modern twist. Every piece I work with arouses my curiosity about the person for whom it was originally made; however that story is lost. But each time one finds a new home, another fascinating story begins.
Diva.
It was my exposure to exceptional one-of-a-kind bead strands that inspired the Diva Collection, designed for the assertive, self-confident woman for whom jewelry is a fundamental expression of self and style. As I tell my customers, “Diva” designs are not for the timid. A Diva piece is the reward we’ve earned for getting to that place in life where we finally know who we are.” It takes a certain age and presence -- attributes often associated with an individual‘s level of self knowledge -- to be able to pull off a natural comfort with these bold pieces. Diva women have grown into their authentic selves. They know every day is precious, a gift, a reason to celebrate. And what better way to express the beauty of who we are within than to wear something outside that is unique, exceptional and gorgeous?
Silk Road.
Admiration for the oldest jewelry related materials known on earth inspired my Silk Road Collection. More elemental than the Diva Collection, it showcases gems like carnelian, lapis, coral and turquoise. Still hugely popular today, these gems have been found among artifacts of the world‘s oldest cultures from the Indus River Valley to Mesopotamian Sumer to Egypt to the New World. The beauty of these highly regarded and auspicious gems -- usually the exclusive prerogative of royalty -- represented great spiritual protection, making the earliest jewelry amuletic in nature. But of course, I‘m sure it didn‘t take long, historically-speaking, for ‘protection‘ to become the transparent excuse for wearing something that made the wearer feel beautiful and privileged -- just the way I want my customers to feel.