Jewelery + Machines
I began this series after revisiting 1000 Rings, a compilation book filled with images of 1000 unusual pieces of jewelry. The book not only encouraged me to get started with my own ideas, but also caused me to ask the question, "Why is jewelry so important to us?"
Flipping through the pages, I quickly realized why 1000 Rings drew me in so easily. Much of the jewelry featured in the book is playful and brightly colored. In Laura Aragon's Sweet Sixteen, for example, a lavender plexiglass box holds several rings with crayons attached. Additional crayons are included to replace the originals when they are used. Aragon's piece begs to be handled. Another piece with similar effects is Jesse Mathes's Play. This piece; a game-like ring with glass marbles enclosed in a sterling silver chamber, made me think that maybe the wearing is more important than the displaying. Is there something about ownership that is more important to the owner than the materials?
I considered wearing Mathes's ring, rotating my hang to make the marbles soar into orbit, and asked myself "Are pieces of jewelry sort of like toys for adults?" I recalled the way my mother lights up when someone asks her about a particular pair of earrings, and the way my little brother grinned when a visitor asked about his stuffed bear. We cherish these items and they have something in common with each other. This series accentuates those common properties.