THE DESIGN PROCESS

At the heart of every jewelry collection lies a world of creativity waiting to be explored. For me, the design process begins with immersing myself in a sea of visuals and ideas, capturing the essence of my vision through mood boards, writing, and drawing inspiration from art and the world around me. I embark on a journey of exploration, seeking out textures, colors, and patterns that resonate with me.

From flipping through art books and visiting galleries to venturing into nature, I gather fragments of inspiration that will shape the collection. These visual cues, accompanied by snippets of writing, help me distill the emotions and stories I want to convey through my jewelry.

Through this initial phase of collecting and curating, I lay the foundation for a jewelry collection that will reflect my unique perspective and evoke a sense of beauty, wonder, and personal connection.

THE INSPIRATION

Around the time I began to design the Desert Peach collection, the prickly pear cactuses native to Texas began blooming. The cactus flowers start as vibrant yellow blooms, fading to a lovely shade of peach. I see prickly pear cactus everywhere and fondly remember all the times I saw them on nature trails during my childhood.

With the desert in mind, one of the first artifacts that sparked my interest was a Maynard Dixon painting, titled Evening on Orocopio (Painted Canyon), Imperial Valley.

“Evening on Orocopio (Painted Canyon), Imperial Valley” Maynard Dixon, 1940

This piece inspired further exploration, including my own collection of Imperial Jasper stones. Their muted creams, neutrals, and natural markings are much like desert dunes with their soft textural lines. I also adored the mustard yellow in this painting, calling upon Yellow Adventurine to capture this tone.

GEORGIA O'KEEFFE INFLUENCE

Photo by Tony Vaccaro, 1960

 Another major influence for designing the Desert Peach collection is the desert landscape paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. Her unique and unmistakable aesthetic is truly incredible. When she made these paintings, she was a teacher living in North Texas, which I also call home.

“Light Coming on the Plains, No. II. 1917. Watercolor.—An impression of endless dark space under a vault of sky. A narrow, ragged beam of white near the bottom suggests the horizon, but not specifically; in O’Keeffe’s work, nature is not so much analyzed as meditated upon, the result being an abstraction that does not look abstract. When she painted ‘Light,’ O’Keeffe was living on the wide, windswept plains of north Texas, teaching school. ‘That was my country,’ she wrote in 1919. ‘Terrible winds and a wonderful emptiness.’”

 - Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker (1974)

 Using materials that evoke the desert theme, I began to source vintage brass, silver and gemstones in this mesmerizing color palette. There’s a part of my brain that activates, becoming more alive when responding to colors. This is why I’m passionate about design and have always been drawn to art. It’s such an indescribable feeling to be affected by work created so long ago.

Imagine being that artist, completely unaware of the mark they would make on culture and art history as they lose themselves in their craft. Just think – Couldn’t any of us do it if we believed it were possible?