The Odyssey

Odyssey: (noun) A long and eventful or adventurous journey or experience.

Odyssey is not a word I use often, hardly ever, but somehow it seems fitting for the possible naming of this new series of work. I’m excited to be on this odyssey of creative discovery.

My first Last Train Home necklace, 2023

If you’ve been following me you may recall my Last Train Home statement necklaces. The first necklace was inspired by a Pat Metheny tune called Last Train Home. The tune really hit home for me because, consciously or not, I think we are all on a journey home. As we age that journey becomes more inward, a bit more spiritual—at least that’s been my experience. 

I’ve been using the “tracks” more abstractly in this work to reference the element of moving through time. Time is like a film strip, each moment, hour, day, year, strung together in a continuum, creating our experience moving through time. The tracks are winding, crisscrossing, sometimes derailing, like we all naturally do.

I've always wanted to evoke a sense of joy and spontaneity in my work, which is what the polymer clay does so beautifully. It gives me endless ways to express all sorts of things through color and pattern. The best part is how it contrasts the silver—the shiny, reflective quality of silver against the colorful, patterned, matte polymer—bridging the organic with the man-made, with one foot in the natural world and the other modern and whimsical.

I’ve added a new material to the mix—crushed gemstones. I’m using a variety of stones: citrine, apatite, peridot, spinel, tanzanite, just to name. The gems add additional sparkle and color, they represent elements of our journey having to do with goals, ideals, precious elements that we are naturally attracted to. 

So, if you like this new work come and join me on this odyssey. :-)