HOLLOW FORM PENDANT NECKLACE

One way to make dimensional shapes for jewelry is to create what is known as hollow form shapes. Hollow form jewelry pieces can be used for bangle bracelets, earrings, chains, etc. Both triangle pendants below are hollow form pendants, fabricated at my bench.

Hollow jewelry has an empty space or thin-walled interior, unlike solid jewelry which is entirely filled with material. This type of construction makes hollow pieces lighter and less expensive because they use lass material. Hollow pieces are a good option for larger, more intricate designs that would be too heavy or costly if made solid.

I enjoyed fabricating two versions of hollow form, textured, triangle pendant necklaces. One is 60’s inspired with beads, loops and links with twists of metal, holding it all together. The other more of a contemporary piece.

textured hollow form pendant, sterling silver

BEHIND THE SCENES WORK IN PROGRESS

The love of learning new ways to create with metal keeps me engaged at my jewelry bench.

New to my skill set is folding metal, as seen in these dimensional, textured sterling silver earrings.

IN PROGRESS, Dimentional earring with bezel set zircone.

FOLDED COPPER TOWER WITH MESH TEXTURE

NATURE INSPIRED PENDANT NECKLACE

Sky and earth are my muses in a recent creation from my jewelry bench.

The round domed circle refers to an autumn harvest moon rising above the landscape. Its brillance shimmers through a thin vail of clouds on a somewhat dark fall night. Partly obscuring the moon are flowing plant vines, symbolic of forest or the horizon line below the sky.

The earth stone, red river jasper, is bezel set in sterling silver with 3 granulated gold balls. Red river jasper symbolizes vitality and connects with the root and earth star chakras, providing a sense of stability and connection to the earth.

Harvest moon and earth necklace

AUGUST BIRTHSTONE

Peridot, spinel and sardonyx are the 3 birthstones for August. Peridot is known for being formed under extreme conditions as it’s found in the hardened lava that carried it from deep within Earth’s mantle as well as in meteorites that traveled from outer space. The spinel birthstone was under appreciated until recently, as today’s consumers look for an alternative to ruby, a gem with which red spinel was mistaken for centuries. Sardonyx is the original August Birthstone, with a history that dates back more than 4,000 years.

JULY BIRTHSTONE

Ruby is the July birthstone and it’s one of the most coveted gems. The name is derived from the Latin word ruber, meaning red, the color of love and passion. Few things catch the eye like the ruby birthstone. The finest color of the this birthstone is a deep red with a hint of purple, it’s called “pigeon’s blood” in the trade. A variety of the mineral corundum, ruby gets its color from trace amounts of the element chromium. The more chromium, the stronger the color red.

JASPER EARTHSTONE

One of my favorite stones is jasper and there are many types to be found. I recently acquired a beautifully patterned leopardskin jasper stone, cut by hand from a very talented lapidary artist. I bezel set a magnificent oval stone in fine and sterling silver and paired it with picture jasper beads which were the perfect compliment. t

An earth stone .

A recently completed necklace made of lepord jasper and beaded picture jasper.

GARDEN HARVEST

This year, my garden rewarded me with the most spectacular light burgundy, cascading amaranth. I’ve tried to grow this elegant annual for many years and the results have been meager.

Threads of burgundy tuftlike “pearls” drape downward on flexible stems and terminate in elegant spirals. This beautiful plant is an annual and it comes in several colors including green, pink, deep burgundy and white. One is more beautiful than the other.

I’ve harvested this amaranth and have been drying it for future use. It’s guaranteed to make a breathtaking display.

Burgundy amaranths from my garden

Cascading amaranthus with roses and greenery.

Green cascading amaranth used in a formal table setting

SOME NEW BRACELETS

I’m posting some bracelets that I’ve completed over the course of the past year. All four were skill building challenges and have expanded the scope the practice of my metalsmith skills.

From left to right; sailors chain bracelet, an ancient type of loop in loop chain; center are two rigid link bracelets which include unique hand-made, sterling silver embellishments and orange carnelian beads. Far right piece is a hinged bracelet that consists of several sterling silver panels that are imprinted with a leaf and vine pattern and then patinated to enhance the pattern. All the panels are connected with hinges.

JUNE BIRTHSTONE

The month of June has 3 birthstones. The choices are alexandrite, pearl, and alexandrite. (Alexandrite happens to be the stone often used to celebrate a 55th wedding anniversary.)

Why not one of each, after all it’s your birthday!

MAY BIRTHSTONE

The gemstone for May is the emerald. It is a symbol of rebirth, is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune and youth. Emerald, derived from the word “smaragdus” means literally green in Greek.

Emeralds were mined in Egypt as early as 330 BC. Egyptians used the gem in both jewelry and burying stones with monarchs as symbols of protection. Cleopatra is perhaps the most famous historical person to cherish the gemstone. The oldest emerald are estimated to be almost 3 billion years old.

Like diamonds and other gemstones, emeralds are judged according to the 4 C’s, clarity, color, karat and cut. Vibrancy of color and saturation are valued factors.

APRIL BIRTHSTONE

The birthstone for April is the most prized gemstone of them all, the diamond.

Diamaonds are traditionally associated with strength and resilience, purity and clarity, and eternal love. They are the hardest material on earth.

Diamonds come in a range of colors with clear being associated with the April Birthstone. Other colors include brown, yellow, red, pink, blue, green. The more vivid colors the more valuable the gem is. Because colored diamonds are desirable, and colored gems can be created in the lab. These would be called color treated diamonds would be those diamonds whose colors is created in the laboratory.

WOMENS' HISTORY MOnth

March is Womens’ History month. Government agencies, such as the Library of Congress, National Archives, The National Endowment for the Humanities to name just a few, join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.

The clickable link below give a preview of some of the women being honored this year.

https://womenshistorymonth.go

East End Arts Council celebrated women in “The Printmaker’s Feast: Celebrating Women in ART” Search eastendarts on Instagram to see a reel on their celebration.

Elizabeth Catlett, Links Together, 1996, lithograph on Arch paper.

MARCH BIRTHSTONE

Aquamarine and bloodstone are the two birthstones for March.

Aquamarine overview: In color, aquamarine is reminiscent of sky and sea and is associated with those qualities. In addition to being a March birthstone, some sources mention that aquamarine is the gem of choice for a 19th wedding anniversary gift. In 1936 the government of Brazil gave First Lady Elenor Roosevelt a dark blue, rectangular step cut gem that weighed 1,298 carats! In 1947 the gem was donated to the Franklin Roosevelt Presidential Library, located in Hyde Park, upstate New York. Click on this link to look further: https://fdr.blogs.archives.gov/2012/11/27/from-the-museum-45/

Bloodstone Overview: Bloodstone is a type of chalcedony, which is a form of quartz. It has vivid red spots and veins, generally from iron oxide and hemotite. The amount of chlorite particles affects how green the stone is. Good quality bloodstone is characterized by a solid green color with visible veins of red. There are 2 forms of bloodstone: heliotrope, which is more transparent with red spots, and plasma, which is more opaque and has little or no red spots. It is generally found embedded in rocks and riverbeds as pebbles. Primary sources for this gemstone are India, Brazil and Australia.

Blood stone may not have the visible beauty of aquamarine but it is valued for its symbolism and other properties. Bloodstone is called a heliotrope, a word from ancient Greek that means “to turn the sun.” Many believe it was named as such because of how minerals reflect light. In fact, some believed that the sun itself would turn red if this gemstone was put into water. It is also believed that the first bloodstone was formed when Christ’s blood dripped at the foot of the cross, staining jasper that turned to bloodstone.

Aquamarine gem gifted to Elenor Roosevelt by the Brazilian government.

A JOURNEY IN CLAY

This month the Charles B. Wang Center presents Spring 2025 Cultural Programs. There is a diverse offering of programs that include lectures, films, flower arranging, bonsai workshops and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The Wang Center is located on the campus of SUNY Stony Brook.

One exhibition of interest is “Cycles Of Clay, The Ceramic Narrative of Sunk Yuh.” The opening reception is this Friday, March 7th with a lecture to follow. Admission is free.

“Cycles OF Clay explores the profound creative process of Sunk Yuh, an artist who navigates the intersections of cultural heritage and contemporary expression. The exhibition is curated by Jinyoung A. Jin, the director of Asian art and culture at the Charles B. Wang Center.

For more on this exhibition and other offerings at the Wang Center go to their web site at www.thewangcenter.org.

TRUTH AND COURAGE

The gorgeous stone in this ring is amazonite. It is in the feldspar species of semiprecious gems. Other gems in this diverse group of minerals include labradorite, moonstone, sunstone, to name a few. It is mined in Brazil, Canada, India, Madagascar and the US.

Amazonite is said to have the attributes of truth and courage and it relates to the throat chakra. To describe it one might say it ranges in color from green to bluish-green, often with whiteish cloud-like streaks. Some sources mention that ammonite was a favorite of ancient Egyptians and that inlays were found in Tutankhamen’s death mask.

Making this ring did take lots of courage. Things did not go as planned, at all. This stone then, and its meaning was a fitting choice for the challenge it presented in making it. I took a “devil may care” approach while working this ring. It was a very satisfying. By pushing limits and put fear and perfection aside I learned lots. I value the journey and rich experience above all else.

An uncut piece of amazonite.

DECEMBER BIRTH STONE

Those with December birthdays have 3 lush stones to choose from; turquoise, tanzanite and zircon.These are all such beautiful gems, turquoise and zircon being my personal favorites.

For more information on all these gorgeous gems, click on the link below:

https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/december-birthstones#:~:text=Turquoise%2C%20tanzanite%20and%20zircon%20–%20you,birthstone%20that%20reflects%20your%20personality.

PS. I just purchased a piece of Hubie turquoise, similar in pattern to the stone on the far left. I can’t wait to work with it in the near future!

SNAKE RING

This sterling silver coiled snake ring has a bit of whimsy and mischief about it. It was as much fun to make as it is to wear. It can be found wrapped up in holiday paper and bows, nestled under someone’s Christmas tree, patiently waiting to be worn. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy holiday season! A huge thank from the bottom of my heart for viewing my blog and supporting my handmade jewelry creations. It’s my pleasure to share my creative journey with you.

The best of the season to you and a happy new year!

Warm wishes,

Joanne

Photo by Mark Forman