September 01, 2018

Fingerprint Jewellery Design from the Heart

By Heather McNair Horsey
Fingerprint Jewellery Design from the Heart

Sway Silver Tree Hidden Fingerprint Pendant

This quote by artist Marc Chagall rings so very true to me.

"If I create from the heart nearly everything works; if from the head almost nothing."

In all that I do creating fingerprint jewellery has been the most rewarding type of jewellery to produce. I've often posted on my Facebook page or Instagram what an honour it is to create such personal pieces for families to cherish. I enjoy connecting with a client on a heart level, empathetic with their loss or celebration of the people they are having jewellery made of and for. I think of each person or family as I hand build a piece of fingerprint jewellery and adjust the design based on what information I'm given about the person who will wear it or the person that it represents. 

This particular silver Tree Fingerprint pendant hides a fingerprint behind it. When I worked with this mother from Newfoundland, Canada, she told me about her son, who lived with a degenerative condition. She spoke so fondly via email and sent pictures of him as we discussed the possibilities of a one of a kind pendant design. His name was Forest, so the motif was easy!  A tree! Of course, a tree! We further discussed how big it should be, the way the fingerprint would be included in the design and how the piece would be finished. Note the gold plating over the silver and the oxidization that brings each individually handmade leaf to life.

For most artists that do commissioned work it's a challenge to bring someone else's vision to reality. Learning to listen with an open heart & mind has made all the difference in my many years of jewellery design and I love the challenges that come my way.

If you would like to discuss having a one of a kind piece of jewellery made please contact me via email heather@swaysilver.ca I'm happy to discuss your idea draw some sketches and  create a piece of jewellery that you will love!