new work : layered earrings : where it started

The idea for these layered earrings emerged while grappling with persistent hand pain. It's not exactly surprising when you think about it – carving hundreds, if not thousands, of shapes out of plastic can really take a toll. The pain was so significant that I had to put everything on hold for a couple of months, seek physical therapy, and allow myself time to heal before diving back into my creative process.

During that forced break, I realized what I was doing was far from sustainable for my body and mind. I learned to reduce the overwhelming stress I was constantly under, a process I'm still refining. I stopped working at all hours and created a work schedule. I also underwent a significant shift in my perspective on what truly mattered to me. Yes, financial security was a goal, but I also yearned for a work environment that prioritized my health and well-being over conventional notions of "success." For all of the things I had to learn, I also had to unlearn many of the "bootstrap" and "hustle culture" ideals that had been ingrained in me.

So, you might be wondering, how does this all connect to those layered earrings I'm talking about? Well, it was during this hiatus that I realized I couldn't keep cutting these intricate shapes by hand. I had an old Cricut machine collecting dust, and I decided it was time to reacquaint myself with it. That's when the first set of earring designs was born.

My inspiration came from a National Geographic article featuring photographs by Xavi Bou, capturing the mesmerizing flight patterns of birds. I've always believed that my favorite art can change how I see the world around me, and this was no exception. I loved how Bou's photographs caught not only the movement pattern but also the progression of time. Newly inspired, I watched ants, falling leaves, stray cats, and moths, imagining their unique patterns. I also delved into things that moved at a snail's pace, like the slow formation of caves.

The sketches for these thoughts were the ones I turned to when designing with the Cricut in mind. I started with watercolor and paper, scanning my favorite pieces and then redrawing them in Procreate. After some trial and error, I produced my first batch of earring designs.

Fast forward almost two years, and I've released another batch of designs inspired by insects. It's still too early to draw any firm conclusions, but what's fascinating is how my approach has evolved. With my initial release of these layered designs, I stuck to shapes I could easily cut out by hand, even though I knew a machine would eventually take over. This time around, I feel more comfortable asking the Cricut machine to cut shapes that would have been impossible for me to do manually. This shift has allowed me to broaden my skills, which is incredibly exciting to witness.

Each earring design is accompanied by a unique story, so this will be a two-part series. In the meantime, you can still find a few of the older designs in my shop, along with all the new ones.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the journey behind these layered earrings!