Before releasing the TMDCo. Summer '20 collection, I wanted to share a little bit about my inspiration and the process of designing.
The collection sparked from a post from @ted on Instagram, which my husband showed me one night when we were sitting on the couch. Here it is:
"These colorful bits and bobs are actually tiny grains of sand! By using a 3D microscope, you can see the shell fragments, coral, volcano pieces and more that make up a beach on the Hawaiian island of Maui. "There's a magical world behind reality," says scientist and photographer Gary Greenberg. "And that can be seen directly through a microscope."
I'm blown away. I'm amazed that something I've seen a million times and taken for granted is so incredible on a microscopic level. The diversity seen so clearly in this image is lost on us when we see sand on the beach. Sand is made from the crushed particles of the ocean’s contents both ancient and modern; seashells, rocks, coral, marine life, trash neglected by humans, bottles, volcanic matter...it’s an incredible survey of the history of the ocean. And it can be scooped up all together in a teaspoon.
What’s even more amazing is that we make both concrete and glass from sand. Our cities are literally built with this ocean litter. Here are screen grabs from my Instagram Stories: (in case you missed it!)
I started looking for materials that felt inspired in the same way. A combination of glass, metal, ceramic, stone, pearls, and recycled materials to recreate the beauty of these microscopic combinations.
Here are some of the categories:
Freshwater pearls. Dyed, undyed, textured, flat, and every one gorgeous. I especially love the formality they add to the somewhat casual collection of pieces.
Glass. Recycled, reformed, raw cut. Gorgeous colors and textures. Many of these recycled glass pieces are made in Africa. I love the idea of recycled glass originating from all over the world coming back together to create these lovely pieces and being reissued into the world.
Brass. Hand hammered, formed, and machined. Brass has such a beautiful luster. I love how it mixes with the gold to offer a little bit more of a human and personal touch.
Flowers, hearts, moon hoops, and little suns. Hopeful and happy. We need a little bit more of this in the world right now.
Vintage and recycled. One of a kind (or 6 or 10 of a kind) specialty beads, and vulcanite sequins cut from secondhand records and other recycled materials in Africa. So many amazing textures, colors, and exciting pieces.
Stone. Lapis, ocean jasper, vintage coral, malachite, and more. The natural texture of stone gives a quality to the jewelry that feels so wonderful and authentic.
The collection is coming together now, but this was the start. Thinking about the materials as a reflection of the contents of this sand, these amazing microscopic photos, getting really inspired. They just feel wonderful. I can't wait to share more with you.
If you are on Instagram, I would love to see you there. I share about my process and designs in both the feed and my stories. Come join me there! www.instagram.com/thematerialsdesignco
Sneak Peek!
Slide on bracelets from the Summer '20 collection. Mixed media: Glass, ceramic, pearl, brass, stone, and recycled vulcanite and vinyl.
2 comments
Love this! It is so meaningful to learn the story behind the artwork. The process is as beautiful as the end result. Loved reading it. Well done!
Love all your stuff, let me know when bracelets r 4 sale