Mermaid's Purses
Some ideas seem to appear quietly, then begin turning up everywhere.
Over the past year I've found myself returning again and again to the sea. First it was seaweed in my Tidal Studies. Then came Three Sea Reliquaries and Tidal Reliquary, glass vessels inspired by collecting, preserving and looking closely at the extraordinary forms found along New Zealand's coastline. These new Mermaid's Purse earrings feel like another small chapter in that story.
A mermaid's purse is the wonderfully romantic name given to the egg case of a shark or skate. If you've wandered a beach after a storm, you've probably spotted one tangled amongst seaweed, washed ashore once the young shark has hatched and made its way into the ocean. What fascinates me is that these humble little pods once protected an entire life.
Each earring is hand blown from borosilicate glass into a tiny hollow pod. Suspended inside is a single cubic zirconia, catching the light with every movement. I love the thought of that sparkle representing the life held safely within. It's not there simply to shimmer, although it certainly does that. It's a quiet reminder that even the smallest forms in nature carry something precious.
Ecology has become an increasingly important part of my practice. The more time I spend looking closely at our coastline, the more I appreciate how much beauty exists in the things we often overlook. Seaweed, shells, egg cases, tiny marine creatures. They're all part of an intricate web of life that deserves our attention and our care.
Perhaps that's why these earrings feel so connected to my recent sculptures, and I hope that when you wear these little glass pods, they catch more than just the light.