Every now and then I start to feel like my work gets into a rut. I think this is completely normal for any type of artist. We want to be evolving and pushing our boundaries in terms of artistry and in terms of craftsmanship. I have taken several classes and I am really pushing growth in terms of craftsmanship this summer. I think this will open design ideas and doors that have seemed too far off to me before.

My first endeavor is to add function to my jewelry in the form of Lockets. I have always been enamored with jewelry items that have functionality. Whether that be perfume bottles, poison rings, lockets, purses, etc. There is something magical about adornment with function. My little girl, who is not even 2 yet, when she opened my locket for the first time and actually every time, she goes, "wooowww…" and this is my exact sentiment. Wow!

For my first one I chose an insanely beautiful Australian Opal Gemstone, solid Boulder Opal, with flashes of the rainbow. I often find that using higher quality materials gets me excited and helps me put all my energy into the piece. If I'm not excited about the stone, its hard for me to make something.

The clasp and hinge mechanism for this locket were fun challenges that pushed my abilities as a metalsmith. The amount of planning needed to figure out how everything is going to go together is astounding.

I decided to go with an antique finish for this piece. Lockets are really a thing of the past, I mean you definitely do not see them very often. I think we should bring them back as a beautiful reminder of who and what we love. I think jewelry is something that should be taken seriously, we wear it as an expression of who we are and what we care about. We should want to pass down these beautiful creations to the next generation.

I'm rambling. I hope that you open your mind to an antique adornment made new and fresh by the choice of gemstone and the motif.

Thanks for looking.

Leann

New Skills + Lockets