We're All Ears :: September Reveal

[Photo credit :: Erol Ahmed :: Chicago :: Unsplash]

I love all the different textures in the pictures of the cityscapes. There are lines and dots. There are spindles and squares. There are angles and intersections.

So for my earrings, I decided to play with the shape and colors and textures. I kept the shape consistent, but used different metals for their industrial palette and each with a distinct texture - from a hammer, a microfold brake or etching. I attached them slightly off-center to evoke that feeling of the perspective of the city landscape using square jump rings. The look of a modern skyline in a contemporary format.

So what about the cityscape intrigued you most? Show us what you made!

An InLinkz Link-up

Get the InLinkz code for your blog: get the InLinkz code

We're All Ears :: March Inspiration

Celling of Hazrate-Masomeh’s mosque in Qom, Iran, all images courtesy of Mehrdad Rasoulifard (@m1rasoulifard)

It might surprise you to know that when I was teaching 7th grade at St. Peter Middle School a quarter century (!) ago, I not only had to teach English and Literature, but I also had to do some instruction in religion as well. I did the usual things one would expect in those classes, but one of my favorite units to teach was on World Religions.

Celling of Hazrate-Masomeh’s mosque in Qom, Iran

This unit was developed more as a history and culture unit, giving just a glimpse into the world's major religions, not as a discourse in conversion (it is a Catholic school after all!). I think that it is very important to at least have an understanding of different viewpoints and faiths. Misunderstanding is at the root of fear. Knowing that these students might one day meet someone of another faith, I hoped it would foster understanding and respect, as it had for me when I was in my Catholic high school in a similar class. (If you are interested in knowing more and broadening your understanding, please consider checking out this free online course on World Religions currently offered by Harvard professors. I am definitely checking this out.) 

And of course, each mini-unit culminated in an art project (even then, I was heavily into art and didn't realize it!)

Celling of Hazrate-Masomeh’s mosque in Qom, Iran

As part of the unit on Islam, we studied the architecture and created our own arabesque art. This was my favorite project. 

Sheikh Lotfollah mosque in Esfahan, Iran, about 400 years old

The depiction of animals or human forms is generally discouraged in Islamic art, and so arabesque art focuses on intricate geometric patterns. Not just surface decoration, this same idea applies to the shape of the architecture as well. 

Celling of Sheikh-Lotfollah’s mosque in Esfahan, Iran

Architecture is seen as the most supreme of art. Circles, squares, triangles - all symbolic geometry - are the perfect melding of art and science and math and shows unity and structure as well as beauty.

Celling of Jameh’s mosque in Esfahan, Iran, 900 years old

For our project, we would start with our circles of paper and find the center then create quadrants and work on repetitive geometric patterns. Popular colors for these tiled edifices include gold, white and turquoise often on a dark blue background, but we would make ours brightly colored with markers and colored pencils. The natural world, all art forms as well as mathematics and science are seen to be reflections of God as they have existed in all times. It is said that those artists that can create the most tightly woven tessellation patterns are closest to God. 

Celling of Shahe-Cheragh’s mosque in Shiraz, Iran

I can tell you there is a sort of meditative experience that happens when a room-full of 13 year olds are completely absorbed in doing this exercise of making arabesque art. I found it interesting to note that mistakes can be intentionally introduced into the complex patterns as a way to show humility to God. By the end of the year, after teaching all 81 students, I would end up with a wall of these mandala-like circles put together in sort of a paper quilt. It really was beautiful, inspiring and something they really remembered!

Sheikh Lotfollah mosque in Esfahan,Iran, about 400 years old

As soon as I spotted these pictures on Colossal (and then hopped over to DesignBloom and his Instagram site), I literally gasped. Instagram photographer Mehrdad Rasoulifard is documenting the ancient Persian and Iranian architecture, treating his followers to a visual geometric feast and a virtual history lesson. I love great architecture in all its forms, and to know that these soaring spaces were created in more ancient times, without the aid of modern tools or materials really blows my mind. They have really stood the test of time.

Celling of Hazrate-Masomeh’s mosque in Qom, Iran

I see a lot of ideas for not just earrings but all jewelry and art in these stunning forms and patterns and color palettes. They are classic and detailed with an energy that belies the elegance. I do hope that these images will inspire you to make something special for our We're All Ears reveal on March 18th! See you then!

We're All Ears :: September Inspiration

"Geometric shapes hold an energy pattern, and scientists did some experiments which say certain geometric shapes can affect matter around them. It's simply because when a human looks at a shape, they instantly receive energy from their brain."  ~Tom DeLonge

That is exactly what I thought when I watched this mesmerizing performance art from Japanese dance and art troupe ENRA.




ENRA’ is a visual dance performance troupe from Japan performing stunningly unique animation-based digital performances. The images used in the performances are not attuned to the dancers, but interactively staged in a way never imagined before. The members of ENRA are experts in genres including martial arts, gymnastics, ballet, animation, dance, juggling and street dance.

'Torque Starter' is a feast for the mind. Using stunning visual effects combined with the perfectly timed movement of a lone performer who is juggling a lighted ball, 'Torque Starter' is filled with a frenetic energy and a host of geometrical shapes and images. Because the video is completely in black and white, the shapes become the dancers, morphing into one another at every turn and transforming the blank 'canvas' of the screen into a living painting, or almost more like calligraphy, with the absence of any color. 

I have watched this several times and each time I see something different. One time I might try to focus on each element as it moves across the screen. Another time, I might narrow my vision on the dancing orb of light that the juggler is spinning, almost blurring the rest of the images. It becomes almost meditative, except for the hyperactive pace. As I have viewed this multiple times, I have been sketching, and like Tom DeLonge said, the shapes are bringing an energy to my brain. I can see components forming from the geometry that is being imprinted on my brain each time I start the video over. So tell me...

What shapes are you most drawn to?

Without color to rely on this month, the shapes and forms will certainly take precedent in your designs and I am excited to see what you come up with!

Show us your interpretation of this mesmerizing mix of art, graphics, music, shape and light!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To participate in the We're All Ears creative challenge:

Make earrings inspired by this inspiration.

Write a post on your blog.

Add your exact blog post URL link to the
InLinkz code right here on 

Friday, September 18th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~