art jewelry
“I revel in details. Imagine the tiniest vermillion bead set against shimmering golden silk. Think of the texture of cloth and the reflection of glass. Picture a thin line of shell crossing a band of black.
All things that surround us - from wing tip to petal, from lichen to the jagged crack in a rock - have structure, pattern, composition, and color. To see these things invites curiosity - the wellspring of inspiration. This jewelry is sculpture - sculpture meant to interact with the body. Each stitch, bead, and mark is carefully chosen and meticulously crafted.”
… the nature-inspired necklaces jumbled in my case at the photographer’s studio, waiting to be photographed
NARRATIVE NECKLACES
The Narrative Necklaces - threads of communication - comment on our modern society (our movement, migration, and forms of messaging, [whether through cell phones, travel, tattoos, or the jewelry we wear]). These necklaces - mini-artworks, urban sculptures for the body - are compressed in size, but content-driven.
- still photos: Penina M; model photos: Audrey Derell
THE TEXT; 36”length (3 possible lengths when encircling one’s neck) (2 printed, covered, and embroidered buttons with 3 separate loops to adjust length); 10 African beads, silk, cotton, felt, paint, recycled plastic rings that are wrapped and embroidered to create bead “donuts”, knitted cord by John Garrett; quilted, embroidered, constructed. The depicted (painted and embroidered) figure is checking his texts.
THE TALK; 36” long (… length is adjustable to 3 possibilities by a loop + 3 vintage cloth buttons that were embroidered by the artist); Silk, cotton, felt, paint, 2 African trade beads, a variety of 4mm semi-previous stone beads (primarily onyx, jasper, turquoise, and mahogany obsidian); John Garrett knitted cord; recycled plastic rings, wrapped and embroidered to create bead “donuts”; Quilted, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, painted, embroidered, constructed ;The painted/embroidered figure is holding 2 cell phones - one in each hand.
THE TATTOO; 32” length with various possible lengths when closed with loops and embroidered (by the artist) cloth-covered buttons ; Silk, cotton, felt, paint, John Garrett knitted cord, 2 African trade beads, and a variety of 4mm semi-precious beads; Quilted, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, embroidered, painted, constructed
GEOMETRY AND METAPHOR; 28” long (length when encircling the neck can be adjusted with 2 loops [to approx 10” x 12” or 12” x 10”] on a wooden button [the button has been wrapped in fabric and heavily beaded with red jasper, onyx, and other semi-precious 4mm beads]); Silk, cotton, felt, John Garrett knitted cord; Embroidered, hand and machine stitched, beaded (with a variety of 4mm semi-precious stones, embroidered felt figures beaded with glass seed beads); the meaning is meant to be elusive.
THE DEPARTURE; 34” long (length when encircling the neck can be adjusted with 3 vintage cloth buttons [embroidered by artist]); Silk, cotton, felt, paint, recycled plastic rings that are wrapped and embroidered to create bead “donuts”, knitted cord by John Garrett, semi-precious beads, primarily onyx and mahogany obsidian, and 3 African trade beads; Quilted, embroidered, constructed; The painted/embroidered figure walks away, the car arrives.
The sphinx moth necklace is one in a series of nature-inspired necklaces that I created after I embroidered the front of a backpack for a fundraiser sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and Patina Gallery to raise funds for accessible trails in the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve.
My goal was to show images, like the Sphinx moth, of what is normally seen in the Santa Fe, New Mexico area.
finished necklace photos: Penina M
SPHINX MOTH; 12” x 8”; Stitched, appliquéd, embroidered, quilted, beaded, constructed from silk (with felt interior); Shell, glass, and batik agate beads attached by needle lace stitch; metal hook closure
…a detail of my Nature Conservancy backpack embroidery that inspired the New Mexico nature necklaces.
"He played with the idea, and grew willful; tossed it into the air and transformed it; let it escape and recaptured it; made it iridescent with fancy, and winged it with paradox."
Oscar Wilde
these necklaces and more exhibited and sold at Patina Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, USA
continued…
…details… details… layers and layers…
SPHINX MOTH 2; 10” x 8”; Stitched, appliquéd, embroidered, quilted, beaded, constructed from silk (with felt interior); Turquoise, batik agate, and glass beads attached by needle lace stitch; metal hook closure
CAT’S EARS IN GOLD; 8” x 7 ½” circlet, 18” unfurled circlet length; onyx, bien stone, and jasper beads; foam triangles and metal hook and eye closure covered by silk and then embroidered; stitched paracord
COWBOY’S DELIGHT (scarlet globemallow); 12” x 7”; Stitched, appliquéd, embroidered, quilted, beaded, constructed from silk (felt interior); Wood & glass beads attached by needle lace stitch; metal hook closure
BLUE FANG; 9” x 7”, 18” unfurled; matte chrysocolla lapis, and African trade beads, one onyx, and one tubular jade bead (centerpiece); foam triangle and metal hook and eye closure covered by silk and then embroidered; stitched paracord
GARDEN ABSTRACTION; 9 ½” x 9”; Stitched, appliquéd, embroidered, quilted, beaded, constructed from silk (with felt interior); Apple coral, turquoise, amazonite, African trade, and glass beads attached by needle lace stitch; stone donut; metal hook closure
HAND necklace; 10 x 8”; Quilted, stitched, embroidered; Silk; Glass beads attached by needle lace; Knotted cord tie
exhibited in “American Jewelry of New Mexico” at the Albuquerque Museum, and now in the museum’s permanent collection
