About the Jewelry
The art
The images featured on arc*hive pieces are created through a multimedia process of drawing, photoshop & collage that culminates in the transference of art to wood with a tiny beam of light. The imagery and iconography are a collection of archetypes that have intrigued me at some point in time. To learn more about me and the evolution of arc*hive, read my bio here.
Ethics and quality
arc*hive adornment is handmade in the American Southwest. Each creation takes 2-4 hours to create ~ from materials research, design and artwork to the sculpting, sanding, waxing, art placement and assemblage. I am based in the country I live to support the local economy, independent artistry & handmade craft, therefore my prices reflect a living wage for someone (myself and any helpers) that lives in the U.S.A.
The wood
Some of the work is focused solely on the sculptural element and wood features. I never imagined wood would be my primary vehicle for creating jewelry or that I would become an amateur woodworker. I spent years dabbling in different forms of jewelry making and took a break before feeling pulled to the wood by a series of events beyond my own doing. It is amazing how diverse a medium wood is and how truly unruly it can be. I love seeing the transformation of the finish and watching the different grains reveal their nuances to me. The species is definitely a force of nature.
There were a number of factors that attracted me to the wood other than its beauty and warmth. One draw is that I can translate imagery onto it, another…it is renewable (my focus is on renewable and reclaimed/upcycled resources)…and I can create the multi-media lockets with it. We find reclaimed local woods whenever possible including Mesquite and Ironwood from the Sonoran desert (yes, there is great wood in the desert!), as well as more exotic specimens like Paduak, Pink Ivory and Purpleheart. The wood is sanded and polished with a protective water-resistant Caranuba tree resin and beeswax. The wood becomes more rich and nuanced as it absorbs natural oils from the wearer.
The textiles and metals
We offer an eclectic array of natural materials from silk to waxed linen. I am a big fan of lace too, especially vintage and hand-sewn. Some of our cords are hand-sewn from reclaimed saris from India by my hands. Our chains are made of 18kt gold, sterling silver, gun metal, copper or bronze and the clasps are cold-forged in house from copper or bronze.
The multi-media lockets
Secretly cradled inside our multi-media amulets are micro water resistant flash drives that keep your personal memoirs close to the heart, a sacred time capsule for your life’s chronicles. These amulets have hidden sliding doors that safely store the flash drive. The storage capacity available in these tiny gems ranges from 4GB to 32GB. Typically they come with 4GB drive, which for many of us is quite a bit of space. To learn more, visit here.