Lotus Alhambra Series Brooch-Pendant in Paprika

Spirited Color. Unique Design.

• The second piece I’ve made in this series in this shade of Paprika.

• One-of-a-kind.

• Months in the making.

Materials

• Sterling Silver - The metal framework

• Czech glass beads - The bright oval shapes.

• Nickel silver - The pin stem. It’s sturdy.

Methods:

• This pin-pendant began with sterling silver raw materials such as bezel wire and sheet. My longtime assistant Sara Sharp turns them into small oval bezels…each one, perfectly shaped. Sara lives with her husband and five children in Tennessee -and she’s a fantastic metalsmith.

• My challenge is create an aesthetically pleasing design. I solder the sterling bezels to one another in a way that’s supposed to seem random.

• Then I solder on short sterling posts to support the little sterling beaded shapes meant to evoke lotus seeds.

• The last step in the metalwork process is to solder on the pin findings - and to position a pendant loop as discretely as possible, so it seems like part of the design.

• When the sterling framework is perfected, I set the Czech glass beads one by one with epoxy - another intricate step.

• I love making pin/pendants in this series and might make another one day.

Weight:

• This piece is definitely rather heavy. It should be worn on a jacket or coat. It won’t weigh down the right fabric.

• Worn as a pendant - on the right neck wire - this piece will feel either medium-heavy or heavy.

Dimensions:

• As shown in the first image - about 2 3/4” wide by about 3 1/4” high x about 5/8” deep.

• The opening in the pendant loop measures about 3/16” wide by about 1/8” high. Please see Image 3.

Additional Information:

• I’ll sign this piece before shipping it.

• This piece shouldn’t be dropped. When you travel, store it in a box.