Jet Set Jewelry


 Apollo Ring in Chicheniitza, photo by Roni Gallo
Apollo Ring in Chicheniitza, photo by Roni Gallo

Over the past few months I have been taken on a vicarious world tour, via the photos of jewelry shared by customer’s on their travels to Greece, Russia, Mexico, India, the Galapagos Islands, New Mexico and more! Its quite a thrill to see jewelry made in my tiny Tokeland Washington studio end up in some of the world’s most exotic places-but fitting too. As the materials I use, be it ancient Greek coins or sea glass from England or Japan, came from times and places far removed from me, they are only in my hands for a short time in their overall existence.

 Jean's sea glass and copper cuff, Galapagos Island
Jean’s sea glass and copper cuff, Galapagos Island

Jean and Marianne took the trip of a lifetime to the Galapagos Islands this Spring. I was beyond thrilled when they sent photos of their cuffs in such a primeval setting. They seem to belong there! (The bottom cuff was a collaboration between myself and Earl Davis of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, who supplied the drawing which I chased into the copper.)

 Marianne's chased copper cuff, Galapagos Island
Marianne’s chased copper cuff, Galapagos Island

My good friend and Tokeland neighbor, Jeffro, traveled to Russia this Spring to be a participant in a wood carving invitational. He wore his ancient Greek coin ring and other pieces, promising me he would get a pic from Red Square-and of course he did!

 Poseidon Ring in Red Square   
Poseidon Ring in Red Square  
 Jeffro (center) and two of his Russian carving buddies in their
Jeffro (center) and two of his Russian carving buddies in their “carver’s camp”.

One of my customers, Gosia, (who I have never met in person but feels like a friend,) is a massage therapist and intrepid traveler. She own several of my pieces and sends me pics from her travels, featuring the scenery of her current locale.

 Sea Glass Ring with pottery shard at Bears Ears National Monument, New Mexico
Sea Glass Ring with pottery shard at Bears Ears National Monument, New Mexico

Gosia traveled to India and happily for me, took photos of a labradorite ring I recently made in some of the most exotic settings imaginable. The luminosity of the stone and the pure magic of India are a match made in heaven. Thank you Gosia!

 

 Chakra Ring at the Taj Mahal
Chakra Ring at the Taj Mahal
 Mehindi hands for a wedding   
Mehindi hands for a wedding  
 An Elephant's Eye   
An Elephant’s Eye  

Rachel, from the UK wore her Japanese sea glass ring, made in the USA to Greece-that’s covering quite a lot of the globe!

Before the summer is over, I will be adding to this series myself-as I travel to England and Scotland in search of sea glass.

Until then I will close with photos of recent jewelry modeled by my daughter, Sophia. (Proud Mother Moment-she just graduated from high school and the local community college, and now poised for her own globetrotting adventures.)

Happy Trails!