For many years now, I have been fascinated with seed pods. I find their protective exterior and the potential for life underneath that exterior fascinating. After making my first pod piece in 2005, using an actual seed pod, I was enthralled not only by the pods themselves, but also by the response of others to the seed pod. There is something unexpected about using the seed pods in jewelry, and this is what inspired me to push the idea farther in 2007 and start casting the pods. Through trial and error I have continued to turn these pods into jewelry. First as body adornment, meant to have a person sit back and think about the jewelry, and how the piece can actually create emotion rather than just be beautiful. All the while, having the viewer think about what it would be like to wear the piece. In contrast, I also wanted to create pieces that are more wearable by turning a seed pod into something beautiful. This, I explored by creating a numbered seed pod series. And in many of these pieces I have enhanced the beauty of the pods by adding pearls. I find these soft organic gems the perfect accent for the protective exterior of the pods.
