Sirens of the sea - silver jewelry inspired by 19th century drawings

A friend referred to this collection as "when stars and snow collide". I love this apt description, even though it has little to do with the original inspiration.

Many years ago I became familiar with the drawings of Ernst Haeckel, the renowned 19th century biologist and illustrator.

I was instantly smitten. His drawings are gorgeous, capturing precise details of flora and fauna from sea and land. I’m particularly taken with the ocean creatures, as a water loving creature myself.

Haeckel’s art remained in the back of my mind for years. Then, when I was working with a rep who recommended I create a line of jewelry to compete with the popular circle form, I knew I had to pull from this inspiration.

A simple circle was not enough on it's own, but embellished with the intricacies of a jellyfish or sea anemone, it comes to life.

I made the silver elements by hand carving wax into the intricate and detailed shapes. I envisioned a family of them living together, much like the diverse lifeforms in an ocean tidepool.

Named for the Greek mythological Sirens of the sea, I hoped to capture a sense of femininity, allure, possibility, and maybe a hint of risk.

Each form was first cut from a large block of wax into a rough shape with a jewelers saw, then filed and drilled and slowly born into a smooth yet defined shape. Details were created using a combination of tools I made and dental tools I found at a flea market.

I made the shapes to work on their own, or as a family. I carved each one to be detailed and complete so they look interesting from both sides, ensuring the jewelry looks good no matter which way it's worn.

Once I had my carved wax shapes, I sent them to the caster to be made into molds and cast in multiple, allowing me to use them for a variety of styles and designs.

The Siren Collection contains a variety of earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets.

Normally I design jewelry directly from the living things I see in nature. Though water themes often have a way of creeping into my work, it was a fun exercise to make something influenced by that of another artist.

I see a world of stars and snowflakes within Haeckel's ocean creature drawings, which brings me back to that statement at the beginning... it seems nature has a way of repeating it's best designs if you look close enough.

Shop the Siren Collection