The shells from this piece come from a family reunion in Norfolk, Virginia. The hotel where we stayed is right on the beach, and the weather was sunny and unseasonably warm for winter —at least to my midwestern trained sensibilities. I couldn't resist the numerous fragments of pretty shells as several of my family went on a stroll to enjoy the weather. I distinctly recall my mother saying that I hadn't changed, because she remembered me doing this when I was 10.

We had another family reunion recently; same beach. No shells this time, though, so I was awfully glad I got some the last. However, I got to jog in the ocean barefoot at near freezing temperatures, which was an interesting experience.

A lariat is one long string of beads, traditionally without a clasp. It can be looped around the neck (or waist, for that matter) in a variety of ways.

After looking at a number of other people's websites and railing at the lack of closeups, it finally occurred to me that I might want to apply this principle to my own...thus the update, showing the two dangles. Of course, I used the necklace to prop them up, so it's still difficult to tell what's going on. But at least the confusion is magnified!

Materials and Techniques: Caramel (picture jasper), riverstone, picasso jasper, dalmation jasper, bamboo (?), frosted hematite, sterling and Indian silver; stringing, wirewrapping.

collection of the artist

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.