Sarah A. Myers Custom Jewelry Designs
ARTIST STATEMENT
I combine sterling silver with freshwater pearls, mixing the organic with inorganic. Pearls are a legendary gem, dating back 2206 BC in China. They were treasured as a symbol of wealth, revered for their mystical powers and valued for their uniqueness. From ancient China and India to medieval Europe and Arabia and in almost every culture pearls have been used for medicinal purposes ranging from aphrodisiacs to cures for insanity. Interestingly enough, the pharmaceutical industry continues to use pearls in medicine. Pearls of inferior quality are ground into a fine powder and used to prepare high-quality pharmaceutical calcium. Silver dates back to old Egyptian civilization. Silver was very rare and therefore called "white gold." It was also called the "lunar metal" - cold and luminous like the moon's reflection on the water.
Sterling silver is the metal of choice to frame in and around freshwater pearls. The use of freshwater pearls with sculptural sterling silver.... is kind of a yin-yang thing. Most designs begin as a two-dimensional drawing, where the basic lines and shapes are developed. All my work is hand fabricated using sterling and fine silver with 14k gold and pearls for color....
using traditional metalsmithing techniques to form each piece. It is not unusual for one of my necklaces to take over 18 hours to produce. I am inspired by nature's gentle curves and it's textures that give us endless possibilities. It's my goal to design and create unique, high quality jewelry.