About
Pearls have been revered around the world and throughout history as rare, beautiful objects. Part of their allure is the fact that they are created by such an unassuming creature as the mollusk. Clams and mussels are homely individuals, and yet, from within their coarse shells come already-perfect spherical treasures that radiate iridescence. A pearl requires nothing to make it more beautiful—no other precious gemstone in the world has that quality.
An ancient Hindu myth, recorded in the oldest of the Veda texts from 1000 BCE, tells of Krishna being the first to discover a pearl. Krishna is the blue-skinned god considered to be a Supreme Being of Hindi culture. It was the eve of his daughter’s wedding, and wanting only the best gift for Pandaia, he searched the world for something equal to her beauty. He considered giving her a rainbow halo from the Air, or a ruby from the Earth to adorn her forehead. He could have given her a meteor from Fire to light her path, but when Krishna came to the Sea, and reached down into its depths, he came upon the perfect thing. Searching the ocean floor, the god felt something round in shape, with a rough texture and ragged edge – but inside the mussel shell Krishna found the most perfect, most round, most brilliantly lustrous object he had ever seen. It was a pearl, and it was just about as beautiful as Pandaia. The story of Krishna’s gift to his daughter in the Veda was the first written record of the ancient link between pearls and marriage; many still honor this tradition today.
Artist
Jivita Harris-Casey was born in Dordrecht, Holland, but now lives in California with her family. "I love to travel as often as I can, but I must say California is really my favorite place. The sea air and water really have a hold on me!" Jivita's home studio opens onto a garden filled with native plants, her cat, a desert tortoise, and a ton of hummingbirds. She likes to work surrounded by her music (which ranges from all kinds of rock to jazz, world music, and electronic dance music), her favorite books, trinkets collected during her travels, and her metalsmithing tools.
Jivita has always loved jewelry for what it can reveal about the wearer. She was introduced to metal smithing at California State University Long Beach, when someone suggested she take a jewelry class. "It was as if bells started ringing, everything became obvious and clear. I finally found my passion!" Jivita enjoys working with texture and patina, finding ways to emphasize the raw shape and feel of the metal. The ideas she conveys with her jewelry are earthy and evocative but allow for plenty of interpretation.
Details
- handmade with oxidized sterling silver and freshwater pearls
- necklace is 18" in length
- each branch is approx. 1.6"
- TLC for your oxidized sterling silver and pearl jewelry
