Ravens Eye

Ravens Eye Earrings

There are so many fascinating stories in the history of the native American people. I was inspired by a Pacific northwestern tribal mythology that portrays the raven as both a creator and a trickster. In the legends of Haida Gwai, the raven was highly respected as an intelligent bird and was depicted as the creator of their world and the provider for their needs. As for the trickster role in the myth, the raven was believed to have brought about the pairing of the sexes.

My earrings were designed to capture that "totem" image of the raven that is common among the Pacific northwestern tribes. Primitive ceramic charms that resemble the ravens eye from Jana Bližňáková of Happy Fish Things, accompanied by colorful trade beads and copper wire wrap.

Gloria Ewing

Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Tribal Jewelry

Mohican Legacy

Mohican Earrings

It is possible to find inspiration in some very strange places. One of my favorite movies is "Last of the Mohicans" based on the book by James Fennimore Cooper. At the very end of the movie, the vengeful and sadistic Huron enemy, Magwa, is undone by Chingachgook with a battle axe type weapon. What does this have to do with earrings, you may be asking yourself? It is the fascinating shape of the weapon that has been stuck in my mind, wondering how I might be able to incorporate that shape into a design.

When I saw these chrysocolla wings, I knew the time had finally come to design earrings inspired by this beautiful native weapon. I added rusty red and brown Greek ceramic spacers and African copper rounds to the chrysocolla for contrast, and wrapped them in a heavier gauge oxidized copper wire to maintain their primitive character.

We find inspiration in the things we are drawn to, and I have always been a great admirer of native American culture. Even the native weapons had artistic lines and artful embellishments.



Gloria Ewing
Chrysalis Too on Etsy
Chrysalis Jewelry on Artfire