My Niche
People say that I need to find my niche, a small part in the world that isn't taken over that my artistic capability can shine. Started by listing some of the things I really enjoy, such as painting, antiques and jewelry making. The conclusion was to take antique brooches and pendants and give them a modern twist making them beautiful and accesible to the average person who might not even give antiques a second look. Antiques are a true love of mine and I don't just see a marvelous and beautiful piece, but I immediately start thinking of its history and who might've worn it, how they got it and what story it played in their lives. Its like a living element and my job is to bring that history and breath a breathe of life back into it, making it enjoyable and giving it yet more memories for another generation. While at an antique market today, I took some time to talk to a lady who had been working with antique costume jewelry for 30 years. When I mentioned my ideas, she seemed very upset that I would take something antique and destroy the pin aspect (which was my original plan) to make it into a pendant. She felt that true identity of the piece laid in it being kept as intact as it possibly could be. So the rest of the afternoon I feel sad thinking that here I had already invested so much into this project just to be guilt tripped into giving up the entire idea. While retro is in, broches are definitely not in and it seems they are being given a very unfair chance. So my friends, that is when I came up with my third turn. Most brooches I have, after looking closely at them, I believe I can find a way to still turn them into pendants, however disturb/change nothing about the original piece itself. So that the person wearing the piece can still turn it back into its true brooch form in about ten years when brooches come back in style, however also wear it as a necklace to accent an outfit, style or mood. I will explain as I figure it out and also tell stories about each necklace both as it is made and where it was found. The history is partly what makes it such a treasure...
