Raw Beauty

 

Sometimes a stone comes along and there is absolutely no need to design anything around it in metal. The stone itself is so stunningly beautiful on its own that anything more would take that away.

This raw, lightly tumbled chrysocolla is one of those stones.

What you may not know is that before I began my path as a metalsmith, I was on an explorative path in the science of geology. Rocks just get to me. The fact that the earth makes something like this over thousands, millions, of years is mind boggling and just...incredible.

This is one of those pieces where that comes out in full force. Where the coincidence (or destiny? Fate?) of my last name, Freestone, is kind of brought to the surface, put on display, to examine and wonder about, much like this beautiful rock.

So, this necklace. :)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/211683050/held-raw-chrysocolla-rock-gemstone-prong?ref=shop_home_feat_4



The Stories

I love doing custom work.

The stories behind the inspiration of the piece are often adventures in which I can live vicariously, or tales of love and romance where I'm hands-down on board, or personal mementos of strength and virtue.

Elaine, who found me in a breath of graceful openness, beautiful and charismatic and easy to be-friend, found herself in need of a piece that connected her to her inner strength and power of visualization. She had recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and commissioned me to create a ring to remind her of her own healing capabilities.

Elaine and I spent several weeks looking for the perfect stone that would inspire the course of healing she intends for herself. She was looking for a pale pink stone, suitably sized for her finger, that would represent the mixing of bright red and angry blood cells that are being softened and diluted with happy and healthy white cells. After some searching, we found a beautiful rhodochrosite that fit the bill perfectly.

Once we found the stone, I got to work on the design options. Knowing also that Elaine was looking for a band or shank that has some visual interest, I knew that I also had to give the band some great thought, and so after several days I came up with three different design options from which to choose.



Both Elaine and her husband loved option 3 (which I also loved!) which, to me, represented the DNA and also the ladder upon which she will climb as she learns to deal with and stay strong against her disease. The ring was ready to be made in sterling silver.

The Process

The first stages of the ring (and others, too!).

Bezel is ready to be soldered to a back plate, band is complete and ready for forming.

 

Bezel complete, band formed and ready to be put together.

Ring is oxidized and ready for finishing.

The Ring

It is always and honor and a joy to help someone manifest their ideas into physical form. This ring was so much fun, from beginning to end, and I'm so grateful to have opportunities like this. Elaine, I wish you much healing and pleasure from this ring--that it finds you in your moments of needing strength. Your story is now part of mine, and I am in your journey with you.

Wow, It's Been a While...

This blog has been bare for many,  many moons. So much has happened. Life. Life happens. And isn't it lovely?

News.

Admittedly, for the past couple of years, my etsy and online presence have been pretty dismal. This year, I've decided to change that. I'm not big on making New Year's Resolutions, but focusing more on etsy with my one of a kind pieces is my big goal for 2014--it resembles a resolution, but is also a goal that I know I can keep up with. I think I usually try to 'do it all' (etsy, personal website, blog, gallery, shows, farmer's markets, etc.) and that's where it goes a bit awry. There is a lot to keep up with, and it's a bit overwhelming sometimes. Life is busy, and beautiful, and I can easily get swept up in all of that and forget to enjoy myself every once in a while.

Life has re-focused in many different areas in the past year or so. I'm in love (>still!< Which really throws you for a loop sometimes!), I have a new job (still in jewelry--will share later), I have a new home... and while I have been able to maintain an ever-changing collection of my one of a kind pieces in Sun Studios in Pacific Grove, I am also feeling able to branch out a bit, and so etsy seems to be the natural next step.

And with that, this commitment in writing on a blog with which I hardly share, I look forward to sharing with you my efforts to my goal. In short, wish me luck! :)

New Pieces.



Hand-Pierced Sterling and Sapphire Butterfly Necklace



Natural Royston Turquoise and Imperial Jasper Opera-Length Sterling Silver Necklaces



Handmade Sterling Silver and Turquoise Ring

 

 



My bench in my home studio, also lovingly called 'The Sanctuary'.




 

Open Studio 9/7/12 5:00-9:00 Join Me!

Join me for Pacific Grove's double-header 1st Friday and Art Walk 

on Friday, September 7th from 5:00 - 9:00 PM.

Complimentary treats and drinks will be provided for your snacking pleasure. Make your way through P.G.'s fine art establishments and support your local community of creative folk as we pursue our artistic dreams!

Come down and see my newest collection of

completely handcrafted and one of a kind

pretties for those digits,

adornments for that stellar neck of yours,

flashy finery for your sweet little 'lobes,

and perfect treasures for your amazing wrists.

See ya there!

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Hot Off The Bench!

This, my friends, is what 12 hours of my time looks like.  :)

Love,

Erica

Back In The Studio!

After a week with the flu, I was eager to get back into the studio to finish several pieces I had started last weekend. I love the way they all turned out!

I began this piece with a vision for the black onyx cab, thinking it would be so neat to have an interesting cut out in the back showing the back of the stone. I switched back and forth between a telephone (very pop-art of me) or another house or my logo (the little swirl with leaves), but finally decided the angel wings were the perfect fit. Like I said in my last blog, cutting them out wasn't difficult, but filing them and sanding them down to perfection was really quite a challenge! I think they turned out pretty cool. I decided to add the hammered circle on the back just to give the piece some depth.

Meanwhile, I had been trying to think of ways to re-use cut links from chains and had come up with these sweet little flowers with brass ball centers. I just had to add one of these flowers to this piece. The necklace is quite long (measuring 29"--hitting just at the sternum) allowing the pendant to flip back and forth between 'front' and 'back.' I added a little flower bead several inches from the pendant on one side to give it some asymmetry and made the bead with double facing little flowers. Very sweet! I hope it finds a home in a very stylish girl's wardrobe!


I can never work on only one thing at a time (ineffective time-wise!) so, while I was working on that piece I was also working on another little bow necklace. Here is the finished result:

This necklace can be worn two ways: with the flower facing out or the heart facing out. Again, to add asymmetry, there is a red brass heart on one side a few inches up along the chain. The lobster clasp attaches to another bow.




After a week laying in bed and trying to get through my classes (I teach contemporary dance) and no jewelry creating, I had been dreaming up another design for a ring. Here's what came out of that dream!

I love this ring. It's made of red brass, silver, and copper balls. It turned out so cool! It will be hard to see this one go!

Okay! Enough with the blog! I'm ready to get back into the studio again! :)