On choosing materials and recycling:
When I was younger I bought a necklace. This was the perfect necklace. It was colourful, fun, great neckline, went with all my outfits. I loved that necklace. I wore it constantly feeling so proud and just like ME.
But that necklace was a cheap, fast fashion piece and in no time at all the colours chipped away, the plastic beads were faded, the metal was worn and the whole piece surpassed the “vintage” look and became unwearable. I never did find anything else quite like it, so I kept it. It stayed for years hanging from a hook, looking old, worn, and sad. Eventually I just threw it out. Straight into the garbage in a fit of spring cleaning.
I started making jewellery to recreate pieces I loved but couldn’t wear anymore. I started out with clay and base metal findings, then plastic beads and fabric. Eventually I learned that the key is in the materials. Colour coated copper is not gold; you can’t polish it up to look new again. Once the coating starts to go, its done. Painted plastic can’t be recut like a stone and lacks the unique optical properties. I didn’t want to make jewellery that would be thrown away.
More and more I’m aware that plastics and cheap, treated metals wont be recycled. If you have a silver ring chances are you’ll sell or reuse it when you stop loving it. Its not like metal really goes bad. You may throw out a plastic bead, but chances are you’ll keep the real pearls and have them restrung. You’ll probably keep dated pieces if they’re made with diamonds, rubies, and amethysts. You can see the value in its components.
The exciting part is that the facilities exist to reuse those materials. A goldsmith can reshape and melt down metals. They can reset stones into new pieces. In this way you can give the pieces new life without sacrificing the history and memories of the piece.