2020-05-01_Lapidary_Journal_Jewelry_Artist

and dance in Western civilization,

stretching across two centuries.

In non-Western cultures, dot pat-

terns have symbolic and sometimes

shamanic meanings, thought to

convey magic, strength, and triumph

of the hunt in some African cultures,

as well as prayer and meditation in

Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic design.

The theme took artists in many

directions, infl uenced by patterns in

our natural world, cultural markers,

dance, art, and spiritual symbolism.

DOT IN NATURE

A number of artists were inspired by

dot patterns in nature.

For Paula Crevoshay, nature

reveals compelling imagery in polka

dots, like the blue ring octopus that

is the muse for her Cecaelia sub-

mission. “Small, cute and relatively

docile, they possess highly toxic

venom,” she describes of the octopi.

“If provoked, they give warning by

turning bright yellow with rings that

fl ash iridescent blue around black

dots!” Her piece is spot on in black

diamonds, moonstone cabochons,

and 18K yellow gold.

Merry-Lee Rae found the same

thrill imagining the seedpod of a lo-

tus fl ower she spied on a recent trip

to Bali, crafted in cloisonné enamel

with sapphires and rubies set in 18K

yellow gold for her project piece.

“It’s a far cry from my usual work

and one of the things I really love

about participating in the Ameri-

can Jewelry Design Council Theme

Projects,” she says. “I’m able to push

my limits and design things outside

my comfort zone. Pure joy is what I

experienced developing this piece!”

Always moved by nature, Katey

Brunini says the polka dots theme

initially presented “a bit of a conun-

drum” for her in how to approach it.

But the challenge made her realize

that “polka dots are all around us like

stars in the night sky.” She found her

nature connection in a spotted carved

agate leaf, crafted as a talisman

encircled in bark-like black oxidized

sterling silver and accented in 18K yel-

low gold on fabric ribbon necklace.

FUN DOTS

Researching polka dots for design

and process inspiration, Whitney Boin

took the “fun” aspect of the defi nition

he came upon, with polka dots com-

monly associated with toys, clowns,

and folk art. He created a ceramic and

lava rock bracelet that he says “steps

outside of his traditional jewelry

Elizabeth Garvin

Polka Dot Brooch

Oxidized sterling silver, 18K yellow

gold, black diamonds, black onyx

drusy

PHOTO: ELIZABETH GARVIN

Merry-Lee Rae

Polka Dot Brooch

Cloisonné enamel, 18K gold,

sapphires, rubies

PHOTO: SARA REY

Pascal Lacroix

Somewhere in the Milky Way Ring

Sapphires, diamonds, blue zircon, 18K gold

PHOTO: PASCAL LACROIX

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