How I turned nature inspiration into jewelry - Custom wedding rings for the nature lover

2 min read 1 Comment

As many of you know I get a lot of inspiration from being in nature. Hikes in the mountains, walks on the beach, garden strolls, swimming outdoors - all lead to tons of ideas and no less than 100 close up photos of flowers, leaves, pods, and beach oddities on my phone.

There is nothing like that sense of inner calm while simultaneously being energized from being outside. So when given the opportunity to design jewelry for fellow nature lovers, I'm thrilled and jump at the chance! 

A recent wedding ring set commission reminded me how lucky I am when I can combine my passions - art and nature.

The fellow and I talked at length about he and his girlfriend's (now fiance!) outdoor adventures, hobbies, and design aesthetics. Fortunately for me, she posts a ton of pics from their hikes on Instagram so I was easily able to get a sense of her favorite imagery.

I asked them to email me pics of a few of their favorite hiking excursions. Between our conversations, her instagram account and their pictures - I was able to create a design that fit her aesthetic, lifestyle, and commemorated a few of their favorite places.

mushroom and river inspired custom wedding ring set for nature loving couple made by Seattle artist Catherine Grisez

These two photos embody the design I came up with. She's a fanatic for amazing looking mushrooms and posts the most incredible pictures of all the creatures she's come across on her hikes. The water worn rock blew their minds when they came across it on a hike near Leavenworth.

By combining these two textures, I was able to create a design that will forever remind this happy couple of their hiking adventures together.

The mushrooms serve double duty - part aesthetic and partly as prongs for setting diamonds. The water worn rock texture is a nice visual contrast to the bulbous mushrooms.

Mushrooms = growth and prosperity

Water worn rock = resilience to stand the test of time

I appreciate the symbology of these rings - the prolific essence of love and companionship that endures the test of time - a story told through nature. 

mushroom and river inspired custom wedding ring set for nature loving couple made by Seattle artist Catherine Grisez

mushroom and river inspired custom wedding ring set for nature loving couple made by Seattle artist Catherine Grisez

mushroom and river inspired custom wedding ring set for nature loving couple made by Seattle artist Catherine Grisez

All in all, it was a fun and challenging project and I couldn't be happier for the couple who owns them! And based on this review, I think they were equally happy...

“When my boyfriend (now husband) proposed I was in complete awe of the ring and how soft the edges felt on my hand. Most rings seem hard and ridged but these rings fit perfectly. I was beyond excited and impressed with Catherine’s attention to detail and ability to create my unique, one of a kind ring set inspired by pictures from hikes we had taken. I can’t imagine having a ring from any other designer. Catherine is extremely talented and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for something unique, timeless and above all simply amazing.”

— Genavie Jorgensen Illiano

mushroom and river inspired custom wedding ring set for nature loving couple made by Seattle artist Catherine Grisez

Who’s next?!

I'd love to work with you to design jewelry that suits your style and captures a memory you'll love forever. 

Here's an insightful form to get the process started. 

Catherine Grisez


1 Response

Hadeer

September 26, 2021

What made read this article is that I was actually looking for a way to learn how wedding rings designing from nature starts?
And I’ve been amazed by how profession and beautiful the result is ❤️
Could you kindly guide me? I’m trying to stat in this field because I’m really interested in it. Many thanks

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