I am looking back over the last six months at photos I took and pins I saved from Pinterest as I sit down to design the spring collection. Japanese baskets, Aboriginal painting, African shields, seed pods, shells, modernist sculpture all spinning in my head. How do I coalesce inspiration from all these different cultures into jewelry? What do these images have in common and why did they capture my attention? I blitz out my wall with pictures and start to work. Free association takes over while I sketch out ideas in wax or on paper, referencing back to my current collection for continuity of ideas. I don't know how other designers approach this process but mine is kind of like a road trip.
This is what's inspiring me now...
Pod Pendant transformed to earrings;
Aboriginal Pubic shield - Etched Abalone Metropolitan Museum of Art
Brancusi - Moma.org
Close up of etched abalone - Aboriginal show Metropolitan Museum of Art
Japanese baskets - special exhibit Metropolitan Museum of art