MARIE MIKLASZEWSKI
I have always loved long walks along the beach on hot summer days. As a child, I was drawn to the beauty of the stones I found along the shoreline. The unexpected volume of color, shine, and shapes inspirited me in to collecting them. This inspiration stayed with me throughout my years studying jewelry and metalworking at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
This line combines my passion of jewelry and beach stones from Lake Michigan. The stones I find are not random. The Great Lakes formed by the glaciers transported a diver's assortment of stones from faraway as Canada. The force of Lake Michigan with the other stones and sand shape the stones into the raw and organic surfaces. I find beauty in the stones' raw and natural state. The waves, tide and sands tumble them until they spill out onto the shores. After I find them, I lay them out like a giant puzzle.
Getting the right pieces together is a big part of my work. I flip, spin and maneuver the stones until the composition fills the space the way I want it. I am always looking for the perfect fit. I want to showcase the stones with the placement, size and angles of the holes I hand drill. I feel the hand forged sterling silver works well to bring the whole thing together, visually and literally.
My hope is to take you to a peaceful place, a moment in time like a walk on the beach. My goal is to see beauty in the simple things around us. I want to take you back to that child with to many rocks in her pocket.