Inspired by Nature

Koko at Pt. Fermin Park

My artisan jewelry nature series is inspired by walks along Paseo Del Mar on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Koko and I are lucky to have a beautiful scenic view while we both get our exercise. She sniffs and I look for interesting subject matter. There is so much inspiration - the wintery stormy seas, the whale migration in spring and the end of summer, squidding time, the tidal pools. The beauty of the area fills me up.

Winter is the best time to collect... right after a storm when the wind cleans the trees for spring. The park has all sorts of interesting subject matter - twigs, pods, flowers, peanut shells and pine cone cobs eaten by squirrels. To create my nature series, I chose several pods, leaves, and twigs to cast in silver or bronze. I also selected several interesting lapidary slabs to fashion into cabochons.

Here are photos of some of the handcrafted pieces I created. Each piece has a story.

Tidal wave - inspired by the February 2010 tsunami warning in southern California. The blue lace agate's raw edge and the waves in the stone reminded me of the swollen ocean and frothy waves on that day.

Blue Light - inspired by the moonlight on the ocean at night. In the summer, I often walk at night. It is beautiful when the light of the full moon reflects on the ocean.

 
Seascape - inspired by Catalina Island and the abundant seaweed along the coast.  I always pause to look at the breathtaking view.

Fortnight Lily Pods with Tahitian Pearl drops - natural pods found on one of my walks. I love the organic texture of the pods.





To see more "Inspired by Nature" handcrafted artisan jewelry visit, LisaMiwa on Etsy.
For my one-of-a-kind beaded gemstone jewelry, visit www.LMJewels.com.