Ever wonder where my love of cicadas came from? Or how I got my logo? Look no further than this illustration from 1997. This was my first tone project in grad school and my first time using an airbrush! What’s that, right?! I chose to draw a specimen of a 17-year cicada I collected in Reston, VA in 1996. A male who I kept as a pet for about a month until he sang his heart out and died in my apartment. I pinned him, spread his wings and still keep him safe and on display on my office book shelf. His name was Peabody. Named after the @johnshopkinsu @peabodyinstitute, the center of music and performance at our school. Fast forward to 2016 when I dove into my first business class for jewelry and was pondering what to use as my makers mark. This just made sense to me since much of my work centers on cicadas, other insects, flora, fauna and nature in general. My BFF is an art therapist and has had a forever tattered copy of this illustration in her office she sometimes uses with her patients. It was high time she got a nicer copy. So she just sent me this picture to tell me the canvas print from @fineartamerica just arrived! I am so happy that Peabody continues to be a source of beauty in the world. I like to think that each of my cicadas brings an approachable love of the stranger things in the natural world and the idea that like the long lifespan of the periodical cicada, good things come to those who wait, that life can have many cycles and a sense of rebirth and renewal. I guess that is my message for you and especially for those who celebrated the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Enjoy every day as a lifetime in miniature and wake each day to new possibilities, opportunities, challenges and adventures!
Recognize this gorgeous invader? Yes it’s a lantern fly. Beautiful but man what a pest. I hate squashing them. Why? Well here is something you may not realize about me: I used to work in an entomology laboratory! Have you ever wondered why a lot of my work revolves around insects? Especially cicadas? It’s because my background is actually in science. I was a Biology major as well as an Art major in college. I got my start in natural science illustration working at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the entomology department in the USDA Systematic Entomology Laboratory. As a scientific illustrator, I illustrated many species of insects. After that, I went off to graduate school to study Medical Illustration, which is what I do now. So, when I create jewelry, it is often inspired by the things that I have studied. Often times I’ll even incorporate current events. I ventured into the 100 Cicada Challenge two years ago when we had the 2021 17-year cicada invasion in Baltimore. I created 1 cicada per day for 100 straight days! Those guys were so sweet and friendly. I know bugs aren’t for everybody. I just love cicadas. They are harmless. Now we are facing the a new type of invasion, only this time this particular species is extremely dangerous for our trees. Rather than squish them, every time I find a live one, I try to collect it, and “donate it to science,” which is another way of saying I like to share this with my colleagues and students, so that they know a little bit more about this particular species, and how to pin and spread their wings. Here’s just one example of a lantern fly that I caught about a month ago right outside of the parking garage where I work. Two days ago I caught another one which is even better looking than this one. So, why am I posting this? As you can probably guess I’m thinking about designing a pin or a pendant around this using both geometry and color. So stay tuned!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#tulip #handmadejewelry #artisanjeweler #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelryaddict #narrativejewelry #instasmithy #botanical #jewelrymaker #makersgonnamake #madeinbaltimore #mybmore #creativelifehappylife #contemporaryjewelry #artjewelry #naturejewelry #thebmorecreatives #instasmithy #metalsmithing #jewelryartist #jewelryartisan #makecicadatime #contemporaryjewellery #handmade #makeitethical #botanicaljewellry #botanicalart #botanicaljewelry #wedding #bouquet
The Tulip Project 🌷 is officially complete! I need to update my website with a blog post about the how and what. I certainly learned a ton through this process, and now I think a smaller silver version of this design will be on the horizon. This was a unique custom design for a good friend’s wedding. Each bloom will be placed among the real floral centerpieces where guests will be seated. The central stamens are coiled clips that the table numbers will be attached to. Once the event is over, she and her new husband can enjoy this wedding bouquet with no worries of them ever wilting. So glad. Could make this wedding gift for them!