por favor.......my mission......
MY MISSION STATEMENT
"Art, to me, is like breathing. It is my first form of expression. I think in pictures, having to ‘translate’ my thoughts into words. As a young child, this was a difficult thing…I just always found myself feeling ‘cut from a different cloth’. Jewelry making came into my life at a young age somewhat serendipitously….I wanted to take a ceramics class and it was full…so, Mom plunked me in jewelry class instead… I have been making metal in one form or another ever since ….
The current direction of my work is springs from my need to tread lightly as possible upon the earth. After a move to Vermont, I learned about growing food, for the very first time. The magic of putting a seed in the earth, nurturing the seedling to maturity, and producing an entire meal from nothing but home grown vegetables was such a powerful experience….I would never look at the soil, or our earth, the same way again. You may ask what this has to do with jewelry making? It happens that this art form can bring incredible beauty into being, while wreaking havoc with our environment. Mining, refining, plating, chemical use, all play a role in traditional working methods. It created a conflict in my heart, to the point of my entertaining switching to another more earth friendly art medium. I am a spiritual person, and needed to make some conscious choices. This need drives my methods….wax as a carving material, recycled precious metals and a decision to avoid working with gemstones for the most part, with the exception of lab grown natural diamonds.( someone wrote and asked me about this..it is just a personal choice...I have a great appreciation for fellow jewelers who showcase their beauty...its just me..a conflict I struggle with). Mining, in all its forms leaves scars. It is an aspect of jewelry making that I have never been completely comfortable with. Even my studio practices are as green as possible…substituting citric acid for a more toxic one, purchasing carbon offsets to balance the small amount of electricity used…its not perfect, but I make every effort… this stewardship of the earth is what my work needs.
I am deeply intrigued by the talismanic properties of jewelry…that place where the alchemy of metal, thought, spirit, the natural world all intersect with human history. I answer to images that often come to me in dreams. My hope for those who choose to wear my work is that it defines their personal style above and beyond the changing whims of current fashion, becoming instead an embodiment of how they are moving through the world….like a tangible reminder of who and what they are about…I have heard again and again from people who already wear my jewels, that they feel it becomes a part of them, almost “like a tattoo”….. how I love this parallel!.... my wish is that the jewelry evokes the same energy, that it becomes an outward expression of your inner journey….marking personal moments…memories…traces the path of who you are, and who you hope to become….My pieces are substantial and made to last. The jewelry will feel as if it has become a part of you after it has been worn a while. (Some have told me that this happens instantly!). Quality, craftsmanship, organic designs that have been hand carved to fit comfortably is my goal. A resonance with your spirit is my dream. Know that I stand behind all of my creations, and send them out into the world imagining that they will take on and reflect the true spirit of the person who wears them. My desire is huge and yet at the same time very simple and deeply personal….I want to embellish beautiful souls!"
namaste
Kerin