A lot of my work in college dealt with childhood memories and the strange microcosm of the nuclear family. I'm pretty sure everyone in my sculpture class thought I came from the weirdest family ever as I unveiled "The Tickle Bug", "Skin The Bunny", and "You've Got A Tail".
As much as those family sayings, or Roller Racers, The Goonies, Garbage Pail Kids, Rainbow Brite, Popples, Pound Puppies, or Punky Brewster take me back, nothing screams childhood to me like eyelet lace. I'm pretty sure that 90% of my dresses had sleeves that were trimmed with it and somewhere out there is a Cabbage Patch Kid with sleeves to match (thanks mom).
As I began to focus on metalsmithing I left the more abstract concepts from my childhood behind and focused in on something that was always tangible, the repeating eyelets that provided welcome distraction during adult conversations as I counted the clusters and marveled over the way they lined up, just so, at the seems.
As I continue to create pieces for the Eyelet Lace Collection I waver between the delicate airy nature of open eyelets like those pictured here and the more sturdy and chunky nature of pieces that are backed with silver sheet. I can't help but wonder if it's the continued struggle of a 7 year old girl in a dress trimmed with eyelet lace that desperately wants to be outside hunting lizards.
Thanks for reading!
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