Queen of Autumn

If you've followed me over the years you know that I truly enjoy working with other artists and partnering with other creatives in my community.  I've long been an admirer of Madalyn McLeod's illustrations.  We were both in the art and design program at East Carolina University years ago and I've been following her journey as a budding artists and finally I reached out to her to create a fantastic autumn gift package.

And it was so timely that I recently created a new ring from a tree branch (and perhaps more tree pieces to come).  Thus I'm excited to release....on Samhain my our Autumn gift package! When you purchase the Dryad ring, a sterling silver ring with two orange topaz gemstones (2mm) which is $185 you get a signed print copy of the Queen of Autumn by Madalyn McLeod!

The Dryad ring came about from a special commission for two very good friends of mine who recently got married, they wanted rings that were nature inspired and to be honest, I've mostly stayed away from pieces that are cast from twigs, nuts or branches because I felt they were too 'done'.  As in, popular however I've come around to the fact that whenever I create new pieces, they will always have my signature stamp and aesthetic.  So I felt drawn to create more branch inspired pieces, plus I've been so consumed with growing my own herbs and truly connecting with herbalism and growing things. 

They pair SO so perfectly, plus this is a great collectable piece and one that works well for your gallery wall or a gift for the holidays. 

Mark your calendars - this beautiful combination will be released in one week, on Samhain - All Hallows Eve - Halloween. 

Thank you for reading....stay posted friends!

I could so see the Queen of Autumn wearing the Dryad ring, the orange topaz is perfect with her dress. 

Dia de Los Muertos exhibition - Love in the time of Cholera theme

When you think about the year and how the months of May and October mirror twilight - that in between time of magic, the point where light and dark meet - it is so absolutely beautiful.  You also begin to see how both these times of year celebrate life and death.  May is the conception and October is the finality of life.   So here we are at October, where we look into the dark and honor the lives of those past.  Dia de los Muertos has always been one of my favorite days because it celebrates the way the Spanish honor the dead and celebrate in the only way Spanish people do - with vibrancy, music, food and reverence.  I was invited to submit a one of a kind piece for the annual exhibition at Equinox Gallery in San Antonio and I was really excited with this invitation because it'd been awhile since I'd created a statement piece. 

Of course I had to go back to one of my skulls, specifically the cat skull my mother gave me awhile back.  And I used the bird bones as the necklace part as well as the cat jaw bone to adorn the necklace.  I really wanted this piece to evoke awe and wonder at bones themselves and how they celebrate the dead by giving new life as adornment.  I also used labradorite as the third eye piece, seeing into the soul and having far-sightedness into the future.  

It really is an honor to submit this piece to the exhibition and if you are in the San Antonio area I hope you visit Equinox and see the exhibition and wonderful events they are hosting for this special celebration.