Sometimes I find interesting tidbits on jewelry making in the most unlikely places. Last week I picked up a copy of The Best American Essays 2008 at my local library and was amazed to find the essay "On Necklaces" by Emily R. Grosholtz. The essay, originally published in Prairie Schooner, begins by talking about how necklaces are interesting to study from an anthropological view because they are so obviously impractical—they don't keep you warm or protect you in combat.
The author, a published poet and professor of philosophy, African-American
studies, and English at Pennsylvania State University, deftly covers a number of necklace-related topics, including shopping, mathematics, and history. She makes a number of astonishing statements—all of them true, but things I had never articulated before. Here's one of my favorites:
"The easy part of making necklaces is finishing them, once you have the right equipment. The hard part is making necklaces that aren't ugly (disproportionate, mismatched, or unbalanced) but at the same time aren't boring."
This statement sums up why so many people become so hooked on jewelry making. It's deceptively easy to learn, but difficult to do well.
If you a get a chance to read this essay, I highly recommend it.
Photo: My Beadwork December 2009/January 2010 challenge necklace.