Contemplating stones

11 elements, approx. 2.5” x 3.5” each.
Vitreous enamel cloisonné on copper with silver and brass

A series of stone-like beings travel from wall to jacket to waist. Made of matte opaque cloisonné, the pieces can be hung on a wall in clusters, worn as brooches, or worn as decorative elements on a belt. These beings, with peering eyes but no means of motion or communication, have been a recurring motif in my work during the pandemic: they observe and contemplate the world without the ability to engage with it.

By giving the wearer the chance to create their own compositions (on a wall, a jacket, or in a row on the waist), the stones’ subtle differences in mood and glance become opportunities to create quiet connections between the stones and the wearer.

Bolos

Bolo ties featuring cloisonné and champlevé enamel.

My family has been in Arizona for many generations, so bolo ties have a personal, nostalgic meaning for me. I enjoy playing with what a bolo can be, from a Rorschach test to a space-age adornment.

Brooches

Vitreous opaque enamel on copper and silver.

The first four pieces are from a series titled Major Awards.

These enigmatic and slightly-silly insignia are inspired by the Girl Scout badges and academic awards I collected and coveted as a child. The series of wearable medals, made completely of cloisonné on silver, present the wearer with a celebration of… something, though it isn’t clear what, or whether it is indeed a celebration at all. The medals were inspired by conflicted feelings about the value of external recognition for creative work.

Buckles

Cloisonné belt buckles inspired by topographic maps, sock puppets, sentient stones, and desert wanderings.

Like my bolo ties, belt buckles are a place to play. I like that they can be a casual way of wearing jewelry by both men and women.