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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Madras Mosaic

Madras Mosaic Earrings

Let me take you to a marketplace in Madras, an Indian seaport city on the Bay of Bengal. Picture the street crowded with people, sellers of fruit and vegetables, fabrics and colorful adornments. Spicy curries are being prepared, each one with a distinctive flavor, and the aroma is everywhere.

My earring design reflects the mood of the Indian street market, with a rich mix of ethnic flavored textures and colors. The amazing drops are handmade by Natalie McKenna of Grubbi Ceramics on Etsy, and the accompanying beads are old chevron trade beads from the 1800s, Cheyenne pink seed beads, and recycled vinyl beads in a bright sea green. Stacked and wrapped in oxidized copper wire in keeping with the old ethnic look.




















Gloria Ewing

Chrysalis Tribal Jewelry
ChrysalisToo on Etsy

5 comments:

  1. Natalie's components are so cool, you had the perfect beads to compliment them. The colors of the market! Beautiful!

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  2. As I chennaite (Chennai was Fomerly knows as madras) I think the earrings are more reflective of the Indo Saracenic (British) architecture on the Marina Beach road, particularly the University complex and how blue sea waves crash on the other side

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    Replies
    1. Maybe I will travel there one day and see all the places you have seen? I certainly hope so.

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  3. Beautiful! I can totally see the inspiration here. They look like ancient relics with so much style and character!

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  4. F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!! The colors, textures, shapes... oh my! These beauties are just fabulous, fabulous, fabulous :)

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