Most of my jewelry pieces begin with parts of a gourd shell and become weightless pieces of wearable art! I taught on a Native American settlement when I was in Iowa almost twenty years ago and have spent much of my time here in Arizona traveling to the different pueblos in Arizona and New Mexico . In fact, I have a collection of Acoma pottery that inspired me with the first pendant sets which you can see on this site. As I look at each piece of gourd, I try to image it as a broken pot where the viewer see just a section of the design.
Some of the pieces remind me of rocks and I choose an Arizona petroglyph for the design.One of my signature symbols, that I make in wire, is the spiral which many believe to represent “a journey” to the ancient ones who lived long ago here in the Southwest and painted them on rocks. For me, it represents the journey of life that we all participant in everyday. Wearing it reminds me that each day counts and millions of people are also on the same journey, some on harder trails than I. I really am fortunate to have a rich culture surrounding me to draw ideas from and each piece of gourd seems to take me on a journey that taps into my past experiences.
I also tried abstract painting when I was in college and that really got out of hand when my large canvases grew bigger than my apartment living room. So I gave it up until later when digital photography hit my life. I love photographing what I call “texture and lines” shots which often are a smaller version of my painting experience. As a result you will find many of my jewelry pieces that reflect this interest.
Wirework
One of my favorite metals is copper and we see much of it in southwest design work. I am new at wirework and have been experimenting with some tools I have found online. Many of my jewelry pieces have beads added to the surface using copper or other metal.
I have settled on using mostly wooden beads because they are light weight and help keep the price of the piece low. I make all the earrings while I watch television. My husband I don't like the same programs so I keep my mind and hands busy making earrings!
I am Hooked!
So I hope you take a look at my work and I promise to add more. If you are interested in something you see on this site, email me and I will share info and more pictures. I would be thrilled if you could take a few steps on my “journey trail” and share some of your experiences and knowledge or just tell me what you think of my work and offer me new ideas!
Bettie Lake
