Yesterday I posted a picture to my personal Facebook profile of a piece of driftwood with worm markings that I found while walking on the beach. The driftwood was fascinating, however the bed of rocks it was laying on is what ultimately sparked a conversation. It seems many of us are compelled to touch, collect, stack and drill beautiful beach pebbles – or in Andrea Williams’ case – inlay them with recycled silver and gold to create stunning, award-winning jewelry.
Kebyar Grass Necklace
“This necklace finds its inspiration in moonlight shining on the open field. The beachstones are carved and inlaid with reclaimed sterling silver. I then fabricate and rivet links onto the back of each stone.”
Williams’ Kebyar Grass Necklace, first place winner in the Saul Bell Design Awards, Bead Category, is a stunning example of this technique. I’ve long been a fan of her work and wrote about about the jewelry three years ago, and now the artist takes beach-pebble jewelry to another level with her latest collection.
Kebyar Blossom Necklace
“This piece was inspired by Japanese Byobu screens and the minimalist landscapes often portrayed in them. For this piece I inlaid reclaimed/recycled 18k gold and Venetian glass into found beach stones.”
Sa Wedding Ring Set
“When placed together these rings reform to make a complete stone. This takes the concept of the unbroken circle that is a wedding band and adds a new symbolism that two joined together make a greater whole. These rings are fabricated from a single found beach stone and lined with reclaimed 18k gold.”
Mizu Necklace
“Mizu is the Japanese word for water. A gentle current flows around this necklace, made of beach stones inlaid with reclaimed sterling, and hand pulled venetian glass.”
Kebyar Growth Necklace
celebrating 3,000 posts
This morning’s post marks a milestone on DAM – it is the 3,000th post. The posts represent approximately 8,100 hours of research, writing and editing, cataloging my survey of the best in contemporary fine craft.
I still have so much more to share with you, but first, I want you to taste more of the DAM experience. . .
DAM’s dashboard shows 2,999 posts – that number will flip to 3,000 with today’s post!
free trial membership
As you know, on June 1st 2,800 archived posts became part of a new Members-Only area on DAM (read more about that here).
To celebrate today’s milestone, I am giving 15 artists a FREE ONE MONTH TRIAL MEMBERSHIP TO THE ARTIST LOUNGE LEVEL after it launches later this month. Artist Lounge includes a private forum for conversation with other artists, interviews, advice from experts in the business of art, full access to the archives and more.
To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight EST - tell me what you think about the pebble jewelry above, or tell me what DAM has meant to you, or tell me what you would like to see more of on DAM, or tell me anything you want me to know – just leave a comment on this post by midnight tonight EST (June 6, 2011) to be entered into the giveaway for a one month Artist Lounge Level trial membership on DAM!
Have a great day – see you back here tomorrow for more inspiring art on Daily Art Muse.
Always inspiring, Thank you for seeking for us…
I have collected beach pebbles since I was little – I think everyone enjoys holding them in their hand, feeling the smoothness and weight of them.
Of course I am a huge fan of Andrea Williams’ work. I also create jewelry using natural beach stones, but my work is certainly much simpler and “everyday wearable” as opposed to incredible art jewelry that Andrea creates. She is a great inspiration. These pieces do take my breath away! And I am so glad I found your wonderful blog. Also inspiring. Thank you!
I enjoy getting your newsletter, you find so many fascinating art works. Andrea Williams beach pebbles are so innovative and beautiful, I love the textures and shapes. Many thanks for such an enjoyable newsletter.
Jackie
Thank you so much Susan for this wonderful gift today!!!
Today as each day of the week!!!
These drawings on pebbles are true beauties!!!
Take care, and keep on feeding our souls!
kind regards
Eva
Love the website, love the author.
3,000 posts…. daymn DAM! As a blog writer for the glass school, I tip my hat to you on both the number and quality of your postings – which are always a “must read” … or at least “look -at”! Big hugs to you lady!
Williams’ work is astonishingly beautiful.A perfect example of the high caliber work DAM always manages to showcase. Your posts are my daily fix into the amazing world of artists and craftsman among us. Work like these pebbles always inspire me to reach a higher level with in my own journey.
These beach pebbles with inlaid silver are gorgeous! I had never seen anyone do that before and I thank you for sharing. Ah, to live close enough to a pebbly beach…I think I can smell the salt air if I close my eyes!
Donna
P.S. I also love your driftwood pieces!
I’m with Michael, quality, content… you rock! Thanks for your important voice in the contemporary craft discussion.
I really appreciate all the work you do! Williams’ work with stones and reclaimed silver epitomizes the best of creativity and recycling. Thanks again for your site
DAM brightens dull days
And always inspires
When my muse is in embers
DAM relights her fires
I guess what I’m saying
Is DAM’s beyond compare
And has got me addicted
With is design savoir faire
I’ve forgotten those tales
Of Arabian Nights
And thank you for all
Your 3000 delights!
I have never found beach pebbles so lovely. If it were my necklace I would be constantly rubbing the pebbles because they look so smooth and soothing. Wonderful technique and artistry.
Three thousand posts? Like, a three, with three zeros? For a blog that launched Oct.3, 2006?! That’s not even five years ago. Do the math, folks. That’s 3,000 glorious little snippets from the web’s wide world of contemporary fine craft… in only 1,707 days! And really it’s only 1,219 days, since we shouldn’t count the weekends, when Susan (usually) takes a well-deserved break. Averaging more than twice one-a-day, who needs vitamins? Thank you so very much, Miss Muse, for nourishing our collective creative souls, with your dedication to sleuthing and sharing the diversity of this amazing and beautiful handmade world.
Look forward each day to your post on DAM and appreciate your artistic eye for discovering all the inspriring artists and their work which you share with us and the time you have spent doing so. Anticipating much more in the months to come. Thanks so much. Marilyn Malbon
wonderful, stunning pieces…
Take Care…
very nice. people love rocks and she does a very nice job of it!
What’s better than one natural element? Two natural elements! What a spectacular job combining these. Thanks for showing them to us.
The mizu necklace–pebbles and water!–is especially riveting.
(I can’t even count the number of DAM-discovered artists I’ve bookmarked. How else would I have found them?)
Congrats to Andrea – truly wonderful pieces!! And thanks to DAM for highlighting such fantastic work post after post!! Happy 3000 DAM!!!
Thanks Susan for sharing all your wonderful, inspiring, creative finds.
Happy 3000th and congratulations on a job well done. Todays pebble necklaces make me want to go fossicking, they are stunning.
absolutely beautiful – so delicate and natural… they’ve made my day!
I live in one of the most remote places in the world and DAM has enabled me to feel connected globally to the best and most interesting artwork around. Consequentially I don’t feel isolated. I love the opportunity each day to be amazed and gob-smacked at the exciting artwork that is brought here to me.Thank you.
These pebble necklaces are amazing as is all of the art you feature on your site. Congratulations on reaching 3000! You and all of the artists you feature are an inspiration. It’s the one email I know will “wow” me each day!
Susan thanks for showung us the pebble necklace is is absolutely amazing. I enjoy all of the artwork you post – it is very inspiring and motivating!
Susan,
You were one of the very first bloggers to find and post my work, Thank you so much for choosing me for your 3000th post! I just read the comments that have come in and wow! I am the one that is inspired! I have lots of new designs coming out this fall, trying to push it even further!