Momento Mori

Earlier this year I was given a very deep and personal custom request by an equally deep and close friend.  I'd always wanted to create a momento mori piece but I didn't think or know how creating a piece would make me feel. 

Caroline Hedgepeth (my tattoo artist and friend) had lost her father a year ago and she was incredibly close to her father and since his passing wore his dog tag every day.  Caroline wanted me to create a piece that would hold the tag but also be able to remove it should she pass it to another family member.

I loved this idea and also the challenge.  Being out of art school a jeweler doesn't receive the same type of intense and complex projects unless it's a custom order or submission to an exhibition (unless you're an art jeweler).  Thus began my procrastination of creating Caroline's piece.  It's funny because when we sat down together to discuss her piece I was very thrilled and honored but also completely nervous and scared! What if I messed it up? What if she doesn't like it....all the what if's and it's what kept me from starting the piece.

Until finally I really had no choice as I promised to get it to Caroline before the anniversary of her father's passing.  And deep down, I knew that once I began working on it, I'd love the process. 

Front of the necklace/object.

Back side of the piece/object.

Caroline and I discussed how she wanted to have both her father's birthstone and hers on the piece and something that symbolized her father's changing from death to a new life (aka the crow claws).

I also decided that I needed to rivet the two pieces so that it'd be less stressful for me, as it'd be about 6 solders on one piece if I didn't and that can get messy.  Her father's dog tag fit perfectly, however during the process I had to use a supplement so I used my father's dog tag.  Once the piece was complete and I kept checking for the size of my father's tag it hit me how sentimental and precious this piece would be to Caroline.  I thought, what if it had been my father that had passed? As you can imagine I was hit with a wave of emotion and gratitude.  

When I was finally finished with Caroline's piece I was relieve and just so happy to have been given the opportunity to work on such a sentimental piece of jewelry.  It really changed how I view adornment and the honor I have as a jeweler.

As always, thank you for reading!
Stay lovely,
Lisette
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