Found Materials

I've been thinking a lot about the materials I use for Tesori dal Lago and wanted to share a bit of the emotional roller coaster that is working with found objects.

Aside from a little help from my friends (and family), I find all of the stones, glass, and pottery on shorelines.  The majority of beaches I frequent are between Bay Village and Conneaut, Ohio.  Two of the most frequently asked questions I get are, "Did you use a tumbler to get these beads to match?" and "Did you paint the pottery?"

The answer to both of these is a simple, "No."  I never alter the shape, color, or finish of anything that I find.  The painted pottery is found "as is" - and so many, like myself, are so intrigued by it.  Imagining the history behind these gorgeous fragments is part of the fun.

artifact pendant,  Lake Erie stone & found pottery

That being said, it's a painstaking process to match these materials, every pair of earrings is a labor of love, making them perfectly imperfect.  When designing, I'm often working with a color palette in mind, however, am at the total mercy of not only what I've found, but also what I've turned into beads.

size, color, and depth are all considerations

I pull what I feel are the best pieces, pieces that feel special, pieces that are unique, pieces that spark memories of excitement when I laid eyes on them for the first time, pieces that bring back the summer breezes, the epic sunsets, and the gentle, meditative sounds of the waves.

Edgewater Park, Cleveland, Ohio

I take these best pieces and begin to drill them to be used as beads.  The majority of the time, this can also be a meditative process.  It's obvious which beads need to be drilled right down the middle so that's a no brainer.  The somewhat emotional part is deciding what to do with the really special pieces.  Once they're drilled, that's it. There's no going back.  Don't even get me started on the rare occasion when a piece shatters…this is why I never pull the materials first, then drill.  If my heart is set on a design and it fails, it can feel like the end of the world.  If I'm drilling a special piece of pink or anything blue, I'm extra, extra, extra careful.

beads, beads, beads 

When designing, I assemble and then reassemble a piece countless times.  I will often leave it for a day or two and come back to it to see if it's special enough to turn into jewelry.  At times, I'm indecisive, wondering if that cobalt blue would be best in another piece - once it's used, that's it. In a way, it's saying goodbye to the find.  You see, I spend so much time with these materials that it really is a tiny heartbreak whenever a piece is made.  I've learned that I prefer in-person shows to online selling - I prefer to meet the new owner in person so I can rest assured they are as connected to the piece as I am.  It helps knowing  Tesori dal Lago jewelry goes to good homes.

custom order that lives in San Francisco

For 2019, I'm thrilled to announce that Tesori dal Lago will be participating in a couple new shows.  On February 9th, I'll be joining the Cleveland Bazaar for their Valentine's Show at Lake Effect Studios.  May 4th and 5th you can find me at the Great Lakes Beach Glass and Coastal Art Festival at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, PA.

raw materials, blue stones are my favorites 

One decision I've made for 2019 is to use every extra special piece in Tesori dal Lago's designs.  No holding back, no hoarding that delicate piece of pottery or rare color glass .  The joy of finding these materials paired with the care of designing the perfect piece to showcase them, is what I want to convey through this work.  

Tesori dal Lago clients are experts and deserve the best of the best I can offer. 

Now, what to do with that rectangular grey piece?

Time to design.

Natalie