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Friday, May 11, 2012

A Light Heart


Hazel-Rah - A Necklace for a Light Heart

IMG_6978
Hazel-Rah - A Necklace for a Light Heart
(Sterling Silver and Turquoise)

I have made no bones about my Leporidae obsession.  Rabbits, rabbits, everywhere and always.  I think it began the Christmas I woke to find a Velveteen Rabbit in my stocking, the way I knew every breath of that story by heart, the way I tried to sneak up on my most beloved stuffed creatures, willing them to have become "Real" when I wasn't looking.  It continued on with Watership Down, which I've read and reread so many times the characters feel like old friends; battle scared, wise and wily, intuitively survival oriented old friends.

A few days ago I sat down in the studio and let my hands intuit the spry light that was beaming from my sternum.  Unlike the vast majority of my work, this piece came together completely spontaneously, without a single sketch or pre-drawing (I love to draw and draw and draw out endless thoughts).  I confess to never taking a single measurement, to boldly sawing silver without a template, curving, hammering, texturing when and were it felt right.  It was wholly organic and when I finally rocked back and held up the final piece I proclaimed it perfect.  There is so much lightness in this necklace it nearly levitates off the sternum!
I love it.
Truly.

(if you'd like to know more, she's in the shop now)
* * *

In other news, this week I've squeezed some ham-like baby toes, swilled chardonay from paper cups on a beach boardwalk (gotta hide it from the po-po), and shrieked for joy at the first tiny green balls on the tomato plants.  All in all, it's been a pretty grand week.  How has yours been?

Happy Day my light hearts!
~ Umber ~

18 comments:

kerin rose said...

well, one of your little big-eared friends completely hacked the strawberry patch I planted last night....harumpppppphhhhhh!


that being said, I am so proud of you...
I just don't like your subject matter, hee hee! :)

candacemorris said...

That's a shame, it should belong to you.

That chardonnay episode sounds like Jess to me.

creative quest said...

well gosh, another piece.
It echos proudly of a lovely bounding California spring.

prairiegirl said...

Now, if you'd just make a lighthearted OWL i would snatch it up. This bunny should be yours.
we all know how you feel about th' rabbit! So, you were enjoying vino on the boardwalk. Were you in santa cruz again? And, are those pretty rocks the ones you found at the beach during your camping trip? It's all EXQUISITE

Valerianna said...

Beautiful piece... and love the story of its birth.

Watership Down was a powerful book for me in my youth. I was just thinking about it the other day, wondering if I should re-read it....

UmberDove said...

Kerin - Well I never said anything about them being polite... survivalists to a default. ;) This year I had to plant gobs of strawberries in hanging baskets 5 feet high to keep certain wicked PUPPIES from eating every last one as was the case last summer.

CRM - Well of course it was. She brought the booze, I brought the cheese, baguette and berries.

Creative - It MUST be because Spring has soaked into my bones here. I should go bounding more often.

PrairieGirl - HA! Well let it be know that owls are never far from my heart either! It was the Pacifica pier I got boozy on, and several of those rocks ARE brand new! You've got the eye!

Valerianna - You MUST give it a reread. Positively. I know you won't regret it.

Brittany said...

you make me happy. whenever i'm sad, i stop by here and i perk up. :)

Farm and Field said...

Oh. When I saw the first photo, my immediate thought was "hazel-rah!" Imaging my surprise and glee when I scrolled further and saw the name you had given this piece. Very lovely.

UmberDove said...

Brit - ALL heart to you woman!

Brandi - AAAAAAH! Can I even express how this giddies my heart? You KNOW, you know...

Lizzie Derksen said...

The rabbit is lovely, but I think the two flanking curves are my favorite part.

pencilfox said...

what a sweet week you've experienced.

and, yes: you know all too well that i join you in the obsession, seeing as how i now own two umber dove hares. rabbits have winged hearts, you know....

emilyclare said...

that creature is positively exquisite Umber, light-on-the-heels, grey-coat shining...

p.s. I love the velveteen rabbit
and your ruffled tee.

Jenna said...

My heart just grew rabbit ears. Or maybe tomatoes!

The work of your hands is instantly recognizable, no matter the medium. This one was especially Umber. Most of my favorites are.

Cat said...

you're beautiful

love and light

MJ said...

What pours out of you is just plain breathtaking my friend...
xo

Cathy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cathy said...

Gah! That was supposed to read "Stunning Kelly"!

Emily L. said...

Ooooh so lovely! I just ooo-ed and ahhh-ed here and made lots of pointing motions to my fiancee!

Don't we all have a particular draw to some animal or another? I am eternally delighted by squirrels; no matter where I am when I see one, I do a little bounce of excitement!