Social Justice in Sausalito With Sarah Swell

Amiah T — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 06:41:00 +0000

Sarah Swell makes jewelry that is moody, bewitching, and darkly beautiful. She’s one of the lucky people who knew what she wanted to do at a young age. After dropping out of art school and taking a jewelry class, she knew exactly what direction she wanted to take her life in after holding her first torch.

She believes that people need to stop saying “All Lives Matter,” and re-focus on the current trend of racialized violence that specifically affects people of color. She has been using her Instagram to advocate for social change. She has shared relevant links on her profile such as “20 Social Justice Books For Young Adults And Middle Grades,” and “75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice.” She personally donated a pair of diamond earrings to the Still We Rise Auction No. 9, which is raising funds to benefit the Equal Justice Initiative, M4BL (Movement For Black Lives), and other worthy causes.

If you would like to help support Still We Rise, you can bid on the auction items up until June 29th at 7pm PST or make a Venmo donation here. Read all about her sources of inspiration, her allegiance to the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, and why she prefers Sausalito to Oakland. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did!

Rainbow Diamond Band, available in 14k or 18k yellow gold, $1165.

Amiah Taylor: Where do you stand as far as the #BlackLivesMatter Movement?

Sarah Swell: I (and we as a business) unequivocally support the Black Lives Matter Movement. I unequivocally rebuke police brutality and support (at the very least) massive reform and reframing of the police.

AT: So it’s safe to say that you consider yourself to be an ally?

SS: While I hope to be seen as an ally, and am not entirely new to the movement, there’s a lot of work I need to do to be able to call myself an ally. I’ve been focusing on ways to use my business as a vehicle for racial justice & social justice work, donating, and reading. It has always been a goal of mine to incorporate more of a social justice lens into my business, but in all honesty, I fell asleep at the wheel a bit over the past couple of years. This inflection point in our country sparked by the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd (among many others) has jerked me awake and I vow to never go back to sleep.

AT: It’s always good to see people intentionally doing the work to improve, so I can appreciate that. You’ve had to close your shop because of the California wildfires and then again for the pandemic. How do you continue with a spirit of optimism in the face of adversity?

SS: Well, I’ll start by saying that I’m certainly not always optimistic! Owning a small business has always and will always be a challenge. My business is an extension of myself, and making jewelry is my passion. Even when it’s difficult, I find myself returning again and again for the love of the craft.

AT: What ties you to Sausalito and why is it a special place for you?

SS: I moved my studio to Sausalito from Oakland because I was craving a quieter life. Sausalito has an interesting history, from its days as a raucous bootlegging town during prohibition to the counterculture music scene in the ’60s & ’70s, it’s always been a weird, special little place. And I love weird.

Mystical Pear Soleil Diamond Ring, front view.

Treasure Coin Bib Necklace in silver, $420.

Treasure Coin Bib Necklace in 14k gold, $870.

Mystical Pear Soleil Diamond Ring, $3520.

AT: What’s your favorite gemstone?

SS: I have to go with diamonds. Let me specify by saying unique diamonds. The range of colors and unique cuts is incredible. We use a lot of non-traditional diamonds in our work and I love it when clients ask what the stone is. They often do a double-take when we tell them it’s a diamond. From a designer standpoint, they’re very durable, so I like that I don’t need to stress when designing with them and in turn, clients don’t have to worry about durability when wearing them.

AT: You make jewelry modeled after fishbones. Fishbone jewelry has connections to cultures in both Hawaii and New Zealand. Is there any hidden significance or intentionality behind those specific designs?

SS: The fishbone series was my very first. I grew up on the east coast by the sea, so the design is more of an interpretation of a life lived by the ocean rather than anything very specific. Although it definitely has nods to both fish (in its scale-like fluidity) and snakes (with its serpentine-like movement.)

Fishbone Pendant Necklace, with oxidized finish and sterling silver chain, $275.

AT: You’ve described the Big Sur as your happy place. How much does immersion into nature factor into your happiness?

SS: Very much so! There’s nothing else that simultaneously calms me down and lights me up like being in the wilderness. Nature offers us a chance to forget about ourselves a bit and connect with the earth and I always welcome that escape.

AT: In your shop, you have a wall of antique mirrors. How did you come to collect so many mirrors from different time periods and is it safe to assume that you are inspired by antiquity?

SS: I’ve always had a thing for antiques and thrifting and have been collecting special objects since I was a teenager. The mirrors are no exception. I’ve gathered them over time, mostly from estate sales, yard sales, thrift shops, and antique malls. And yes, I’m absolutely inspired by antiquity. It’s so powerful knowing that the objects in your life have a history. Much like the people we choose to surround ourselves with, objects can also become part of our story.

Image Credit: Sarah Swell and Still We Rise

The post Social Justice in Sausalito With Sarah Swell appeared first on handfulofmia.

The Untapped Gold Mine of Uncommon Engagement Rings

Amiah T — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:13:20 +0000

I have been meditating a lot on the idea of societal norms and also subjectivity. And the conclusion that I’ve come to is that no one can tell you what’s beautiful unless you let them. No one can tell you what you should find to be attractive unless you let them. For me, jewelry is a way of reclaiming my personal power and identity. I decide what I wear and I decide how to wear it. I decide if it matches and I decide if it’s “right.” I’m sure there’s a very prim person out there who will tell you that a diamond solitaire engagement ring with flawless clarity is the only way to go. But c’mon it’s 2020. Let’s go on the road less travelled and explore some engagement ring styles that are exciting, uncommon and most of all wholly unique. This is the ultimate list of sculptural engagement rings under $2400!

Naga Ring with Diamonds – John Hardy, $1695

This ring reminds me of a cartoon I watched as a kid called “Xiaolin Showdown.” I think it’s because one of the lead characters Kimiko had blue eyes. I really love the blue sapphire eyes on the double-headed dragon. I love that the dragons have scales as well, I feel like that makes the ring that much more playful and unique. The design itself is not altogether dissimilar from an ouroboros (or a dragon eating its own tail) but instead the dragons share a diamond accented disk. I like that the ring features 18k yellow gold and I also appreciate that the scrolls motifs are hand carved. I think that this engagement ring would be a conversation starter to say the least and that is why I had to include it on my list of uncommonly beautiful sculptural engagement rings. Currently, if you sign up for their email newsletter you can get 10% off of your next online order!

Pear Sapphire Twine Ring – Fraser Hamilton, $2070

I love the hue of pear-shaped center stone and the matte finish of the gold. (It’s no secret that I love blue sapphire engagement rings.) It seems topsy-turvy that the designer put the sapphire sideways, but in a way I really like it. What’s super eye catching about this ring is the spiralized band, and how the ring seems to be frozen in a state of motion. In Fraser Hamilton’s signature style, this ring contains two hands that delicately hold the green sapphire. My favorite view of this ring is the back view, I feel like you can see how everything comes together and you also get a greater idea of the intricacy of the ring. Oddly, I like how you see the fleshiness of the palms from the back view, I appreciate the level of painstaking detail the artist put into the ring and it would be a lovely addition to any jewelry box.

Madame Roland Ring – Anissa Kermiche, $2314

When I was a child I loved Susan B. Anthony coins. Something about the weight of them in my small hands and the golden color seemed opulent and rare. This ring reminds me of a Susan B. Anthony coin in the best possible way. The Madame Roland ring is from the Liberté, Égalité, Feminité collection and is named after the French salonnière, Madame Roland. I like that the sculptural part of the ring depicts a woman who altered history. According to the designer, the diamonds that border the ring represent “the seeds planted by Madame Roland for the growth of the French Revolution.” You can learn more about Madame Roland here. As a person who loves history and loves yellow gold, this ring speaks to me personally as a beautiful mixture of museum quality artwork and modern style. I could spend all afternoon marveling at it’s uncommon beauty and if you love this ring as much as I do, pre-order it here.

Let me know what you think in the comments below, would you opt for a sculptural engagement ring instead of a traditional one? What’s your unique engagement ring style?

The post The Untapped Gold Mine of Uncommon Engagement Rings appeared first on handfulofmia.

pear engagement ring Archives - handfulofmia

Social Justice in Sausalito With Sarah Swell

The Untapped Gold Mine of Uncommon Engagement Rings