Portland, Maine
USA
naomigracemcneill.com
When I design jewelry, I find I'm especially drawn to the negative space where the body shows through. The simplicity of my work speaks to this as it allows one to look through the piece to see the body beneath it to notice a shadow or glow cast on the skin. My current work investigates the relationship of hexagonal patterns to the human body. Honeycomb and wasp nests caused my initial attraction to the pattern. As my obsession grows, I see it everywhere (e.g. flowers, snowflakes, sidewalks). All of these remind me of the bees and their honeycomb, it has become clear to me that the relationship between the body and this pattern isn't just an aesthetic choice, but a catalyst to inspire awareness of the delicate balance we are living in. The honeybee plays a key roll in the production of our food supply. By associating honeycomb with the body, my work ignites this important connection between bee and human. My goal is to encourage a conversation that goes beyond the beauty of light, shadow, and negative space; so that we can simply live to appreciate these things for generations to come.
Materials: sterling silver and 22k bimetal
Dimensions: .5" x .25" x .5"
These are made with 22k yellow and sterling silver bi-metal to create a pair of earring that look gold from one direction and silver from the other. Just like the silver version, they hang just below the earlobe and are lightweight, comfortable, and versatile.
Photo credit: Naomi Grace McNeill
