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Artist’s Statement
We lived in St. Louis city for a while when I was a kid and I can remember my brother and me playing in the parking lot of an abandoned building somewhere off-Broadway because the only green space close to us was the little patch between the sidewalk and the street. My grandparents lived in the country along the Big River and going to their farm was like stepping into another world. I do not think I will ever forget climbing the Mulberry tree amazed that I could eat what was growing on it, making friends with a big tom turkey, and realising that geese are not as nice as they chased me all the way from the barn to the house.
Those memories are some of the fondest I hold. It was all so different from the burning hot asphalt. It is also when my love for the environment began to take root and when I started to “see” nature. It is amazing, that such a seemingly little experience, much like a small seed, can grow into something enormous. The memories that connect to me to the outdoors and to my grandparents are completely captivating and the catalyst that drives me to experience, explore, and discover my natural surroundings. This is the place from where my inspiration manifests. It is those memories that inspire me to create ways to connect others to the place we all call home.
I design my pieces to echo nature in every way possible, to inspire a connection with the outdoors, and energize the spirit when one cannot. Each piece is handcrafted using natural stones like Agate, Jasper, or Quartz Crystal, Fire Polished Beads, Czech Glass, Swarovski Crystal, or Fresh Water Pearl, artfully wrapped in copper wire. It is my hope that my art inspires others to create memories and appreciate the true wonder and beauty of the natural world.
About Buttons:
Running your hands through them and the sound created as they slip through your fingers and fall back into the tin. The shapes, colors, and sizes. The sense of home and warmth. Grandma, she must have saved buttons for decades. There was just something about that tin. It called to me and begged me to sift through it… to find my favorites and see if there were any new additions.
I still have a fascination with them and often wonder how many people share this attraction with me. Now when I look at a button tin, I think about all the places the buttons may have been. Who wore them… girl? boy? What kind of clothes were they on… what situations did they endure? The first day of kindergarten? Maybe they witnessed someone’s first scary movie or even their last kiss. Sew… I made them into jewelry.
-KB 2018
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