Memento Mori Pendant
Translated literally as “remember death,” a memento mori serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death, in order that life is then lived to its fullest.
I carved this coffin-shaped amber to evoke a meaningful memory, studying amber carving in Chiapas, Mexico. Appearing embedded, the amber is backed with a lock of my own hair.
Having never attempted pearl carving, this one serves as a nod toward what the piece is designed to evoke: a desire to learn and enjoy life to its fullest.
Memento Brooch
Featuring a breadth of gems and setting styles, this brooch serves as a sampler of beautiful stones selected for the story they tell when featured together. Brilliant-cut smoky quartz tube-set with prongs, the most scenic of agates framed with a serrated bezel, juicy Mexican amber set in a simple bright-cut bezel, and a hand-carved pearl, dangling in the negative space that allows it to swing.