Leafy Detritus

It’s a long path between bud and ground.
A road full of unfurling, a passionate push towards a green blush
up in the boughs.
The carefully whittled pull of veins
pushing up from petiole.
A ticklish midrib, a bony spine, the bending smile of stacked cells
eager to catch sunlight.
A summer spent:
waving
shading
breathing
cleaning
dappling sunlight on brown skin
whispers and clatters muddling together, musically, conducted by the able hands of zephyrs.
Then the fall.
The drop in temperature.
The fade of kelly bright chloroplasts to rusty,
spent hues.
And the letting go, settling into musty earth as blankets to blankets.
Dust to dust.
A leafy detritus
overripe
and spent,
makes the prettiest things.
This decolletage candy is built of a gazillion spent, sterling leaves wrapped carefully around a huge cut of amethyst sage agate. As usual, I can’t utter enough compliments to do this cabochon justice. I had it cut with a huge dome and the nuances in color and pattern are too fantastic to convey. It has to be seen to be believed. The pendant is a glorious mess of hidden bails that form a complex web of draping chains. An etched and anticlastically raised leaf dangles from one side of the pendant for a perfectly balanced but asymmetric piece that will tame straying eyes and delight fingertips.

Wearing this necklace sets a girl adrift.

Gravity starts humming in all directions.
Feet fail to know the feeling of being planted.
She gets carried off on the wings of whims.
It’s good.
It’s good.
It’s good to have some of that internal pretty stuff make its way out onto the surface of things.

I’ve had this piece
partially finished for a couple of weeks
now. Yesterday I managed to squeeze in the
finishing touches
and the words I would use to describe
it are:
Ethereal.
Organic.
Nature rich.

She’s special.
And she knows it.

Comments

  1. VerreEncore says

    SO Lovely! makes me wish my student loans would arrive quicker (… students need these pretty things for proper educations!)

    -Lynsey

  2. The Noisy Plume: says

    I second that opinion Ms Lynsey! Even poor students are entitled to a piece of prettiness…

  3. Nancy*McKay says

    dEar SanTa,

    i'Ve bin A verry, VERY, gOod girl…
    soRt of…sOMetimeS…reGardleSS…THIS…is what I WANT…pleEze…it IS sO special…sO beauTiFul…made by aNgelic finGers…& a heaRt of gOld…

  4. ooo ooo swoonarific!!!

  5. MrsLittleJeans says

    It reminds me of a bonfire, and the special lady who got it must Must Please please post her picture modeling this gorgeous piece

    xx

  6. I love your work. A friend just tweeted about your work…went and looked at your shop (had to look at your sold items…lol) and it is all so beautiful! Just had to stop by and say that.

  7. Phantasmagorical transmogrification.

    (Beautiful!)

  8. The Noisy Plume: says

    Oh.
    Oh.
    My two favorite words.
    Back to back……….sigh……

  9. mme. bookling says

    It just keeps getting better and better. Hot Damn.

  10. mme. bookling says

    It just keeps getting better and better. Hot Damn.

  11. Round Rabbit says

    Yes!
    (Hidden bails are my secret(hidden) lover.)

  12. Melissa-Ann says

    Very LOVELY piece!!!!!

    Perchance will you tell me what size (mm)lens you took these with??

  13. CarolynArtist says

    Jillian your work is so beautiful and inspiring- the level of craftsmanship is extraordinary

  14. .EXQUISITE.

    Along with the gorgeous tale in tow!

  15. Alicia Istanbul says

    Beautimous. Both the piece and the words. How *do* you do it?

  16. Reminds me of summer…how beautiful!

  17. !!!!

  18. Abigail Jasmine says

    Beautiful necklace!

    Very talented!

  19. HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL.
    impressed as always…

  20. The Noisy Plume: says

    Besters….you always have such a way with words…

  21. Mountaindreamers says

    the stone has to be the best , agate in purple , doesn't get much better. Have a wonderful trip ; )

  22. Am so envious of the lady that gets to wear this! (Lady, whoever you are, send us all pictures so we may revel in your delight!)

  23. I loooooooooooooove it!