Efflorescence

I have long been fascinated by lockets.  The idea that jewelry (or anything for that matter) can have an inside and an outside really flabbergasts and delights me.  I really have that child-like wonder when it comes to objects that have secret spaces and compartments.

This dichotomy makes sacred space possible.  This boundary between public and private space signifies what is special and precious... to have something hidden away makes that "something" instantly exotic and enticing. 

For all you know, I could have a worn down pencil nib in my locket... but if I told you that's what was in there, wouldn't you instantly want to know 'why?'  Why is something so commonplace held in a place of honor?  Where did it come from?  What did it draw?  Who gave it to me?  Why, why, why? Secrets beg questions.  Secrets breed curiosity and that passionate itch to know more.

"Efflorescence" means to blossom or bloom, "a gradual process of unfolding or developing," but in this specific instance, that word also means to "unearth."  "Lockets" are signifiers of deep and sacred stories that beg to be harvested.

Even though I had long lusted after constructing a locket of my own, this necklace was the first locket that I ever made... and coincidentally, my very first attempt at making a hinge.  By all accounts, both attempts were a success :)

www.jennybutterfield.com

Flamenco

The story in this piece is really in the technique... Chasing and Repousse.  This is a technique where the metal is manipulated, stretched, and moved with punches and tools to created a raised, three-dimensional design.  Again, if you want to learn more, I recommend you head over to Wikipedia.

I had no freakin' idea how mailable and accommodating metal could be until I learned this technique.  Until this point in time, I had assumed that metal was something static and immovable (like rock) rather than something so elastic.  Oh, how delightfully wrong I was!

Of course, learning chasing and repousse was also very nerve wracking; the best metal thickness to begin with to get the required movement is 20 gauge... which is slightly under 1mm thick.  If I had used a thicker metal, then the metal would not be willing to play with me, rude!  But beginning with a material that is so thin meant that if I wasn't careful, I could have punched right through the metal, creating holes and tears that were not part of my design.  Scary stuff for a beginner!

This was the first piece that I made as an "intermediate" metalsmith at Edinboro... and honestly, I'm not sure that I can underestimate the importance of the lesson that this piece and this technique taught me: that metal is like playdough, moving in predictable and controllable patterns... and that under the right circumstance, the thinnest micron of metal can be so strong and so durable that it will have a lifespan much longer than my own.  I tell you what, that is one cool lesson.

The Prayer Ring

This ring was the first I ever made using the lost-wax casting technique.  Do you guys know what that technique is?  Lost-wax casting is slightly beyond the scope of this post... so, if you find yourself curious, please head on over here to find out more (Wikipedia isn't my favorite, but all the other articles I found were too technical!  Good for me, bad for you).

Anyway!  This ring.

In Native American cultures, the feather is a symbol of prayers.  I wanted to make a piece of jewelry that was a symbol of where I wanted to go... a symbol of the path that I was walking for myself.

So, on the exterior of the ring I carved a sculptural feather to symbolize my prayers for the path ahead.

And on the interior of the band, I carved four symbols, each symbol representing a wish that I had for myself.  I enjoyed the idea that the wishes would be next to my skin... private, personal, sacred, hidden.  And here are the four symbols:

The Hand: Quite simply, this symbol means "human."  It is a symbol that means "touch," "I was here," and of course, "handmade."

The Howling Wolf:  In Native American cultures, animals are often looked to as spirit guides, and the wolf was and still is one of my spirit guides.  The wolf has teacher medicine and is a divine pathfinder, often bringing intuition and inner strength and the howling wolf is symbol of harmony.

The Horse: Another of my spirit animals, the horse is a Messenger, capable of traveling between this world and the next to bring clarity and guidance.  The horse is also a symbol of freedom, power, and adventure.

The North Star: Simply put, the north star is a symbol of perfect guidance.  But personally, to me is it also a symbol of inner light and that warm, inner glow.

This is another one of those Edinboro projects that I still wear and enjoy.  This ring is just dear to my heart because even though it is a clunker (sleek this thing is not), all the symbolism and meaning makes this ring a stunner to me.

The Nimbus Ring

This was the first piece of metalsmithing that I ever made for myself.  This was not my first project in Edinboro, but this was the first piece of jewelry that I ever made as a "professional."

I still love it.  I still wear it.  I still find it relevant even though I completed it over seven years ago.

This ring began my love affair with my jeweler's saw... the delicate touch need to turn the tight corners, the perseverance needed to break blades and keep going.

I feel so strange telling you that I am in love with an inanimate object, my jeweler's saw, an object that will never love me back and that will certainly betray me in the end, as all tools eventually do, by breaking and no longer running true.

But perhaps I am not so much in love with the tool so much as what it helps me do: it helps make my thoughts into a reality.  

I love that things, objects, jewelry, art can have personalities... qualities given to them by their makers, by the hands that made them.  Mistakes can become blessings in disguise and a slip of the hand can create something completely unique.  Of course, that isn't always the case... sometimes a slip of the hand means hours of backtracking and fixing, but to the beginner, with beginner's luck on her side, the true personality of a thing can come from a pure place, an unburdened and clean place.

I really do love this ring.

You Never Forget Your First

Believe it or not, this is the very first piece of metalwork that I made as an undergrad at Edinboro University: copper, brass, and nickle silver.  I completed this piece in the fall of 2006.

This was a cold-connecting assignment that required the piece to have moveable parts.  And simply put, cold-connecting means no heat, no torch, no soldering.  I made this piece entirely with my jeweler's saw, my files, and my riveting hammer.  To satisfy the requirement for movement, I made this piece to act like a folding screen. 

I did three different sketches for this project... each of them more whimsical than the last.  I finally settled on this idea after having done some research on Japanese strolling paths.

Strolling paths are often main features in Japanese gardens; they are meant to promote relaxation and contemplation, and they often include features like sudden turns, reflecting pools, or secluded benches to promote introspection.

And I don't mean to wax poetical or anything (okay, maybe I do just a little), I just adored the idea of being able to create my own path.  Plus, since I was living in a dorm room, I relished any chance to dream about a secluded, outdoor space!

Supbrooch 2013

Well, here are my lovely models who so graciously agreed to let me put jewelry on them and take their pictures.

Aren't they sweet?  I thought so too.  All the names have been omitted to protect the innocent :)

Now you have to understand one things about all the men that I asked to model for me: they are not jewelry people.  I went to art school, and I went through a program with some guys who were just as passionate about wearing jewelry as I was.  My models, not so much.  None of them resisted the idea of modeling for me (much), but I 

could tell that I was yanking them outside their comfort zones.

I didn't choose my models based on their comfort levels in front of the camera... I wanted guys with something behind the eyes, and they all instantly became self-conscious on me.

The one thing that really shocked me about this project was how all these guys were instantly concerned with their appearances... what to wear, how to fix their hair, etc.  All I could really think was, "Wow, not so different from one another are we?"

It was cute :)

But this realization about the similarities between men and women in the face of being photographed for the sake of a piece of jewelry also made me think about how women use their clothing and jewelry like shields.

Are we really all that afraid to just be ourselves?  I like to think that the work I make helps women feel strong and capable, but the truth is that the jewelry can't bring to the surface what isn't already present in the wearer.

I make reminders, not shields.

So, to the men who chose to help me with this project, I thank you.  Your bravery and audacity in the face of your discomfort really made me smile.

For more information about the Supbrooch exhibition, please head on over to their website: http://www.supbrooch.com/

Writer's Block

I haven't been in this space in over a month.

There's something I find so interesting in not knowing what to say.  I hardly ever find myself at a loss for words or ideas or inspirations.

Although every time I have thought about writing lately, I'm lost: no witty remarks or new trends or deep thoughts to share.

But here's the thing about "lost," the thing about "blank space"...  there are so many possibilities, a vacuum waiting to be filled.

Sometimes the lack of boundaries can be frightening, all that white blankness, like a frozen tundra where a wrong turn could kill you. 

But mostly, "blank" about choosing.  It's about writing an essay even though the questions are multiple choice.  It's about filling the paper with imaginary objects and people and worlds.  It's about folding the paper into an airplane and launching it into space. 

Recently, I've been finding myself with so much blank space... and where it used to frighten me, I've been finding it a comfort and a joy.  I choose to be here.  I choose to be now.