Jewels from the Deep
Issue #36
Wearing it well — adornment and the shell
By Justina Blakeney
Published: August 1st, 2008 | 11:13am
People have adorned themselves with shells since 38,000 BC. Pearls, abalone, coral, mother of pearl, sand dollars, and seashells have sparked wonder and mystery for millennia. Roman Mythology explains pearls as the goddess Venus’ tears. And according to Greek mythology, coral originates from Medusa’s decapitated head on a riverbank, whose blood turned seaweed into red coral. Human culture and technology has changed dramatically since the upper Paleolithic period, but one thing has remained constant — the use of shells and gems of the sea to create exquisite jewelry.
1. Esther Lee of Mermaids777 (mermaids777.etsy.com) uses corals, sand dollars, and paua shells as charms on her one-of-a-kind bracelets.
2. Mary Beth Beuke is inspired by sea glass. Her rings, earrings, and necklaces are sold with gift cards that detail where she finds her sea glass. (westcoastseaglass.etsy.com)
3. Out of the Blue (outoftheblue.etsy.com) creates glass pendants that look like the ocean floor detained between two glass slides. The jeweler captures sand, tiny seashells, shards of beach glass, and sequins to create a collage of sandy textures.
4. Heather Knight fashions porcelain into sea urchin votive holders. Talk about mixing fire and water — this bowl is made of high-fired porcelain, unglazed on the outside and clear glaze on the interior, transforming your dresser-top into an echinoid playground. (elementclaystudio.com)
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