I’m a big fan of the PBS series, Downton Abbey. Actually anything Jane Austin or from a time period where manners and getting dressed for dinner were a part of everyday life. It seems to be lost in our present day society. So with that in mind, well maybe in my unconscious creative thought process… I designed a custom pendant channeling the Victorian era. The design was to accommodate a lovely oval faceted green garnet. My client provided the gemstone along with another tiny round garnet and the yellow gold. Having the two garnets gave me the idea to create the pendant with the small one hanging by itself. Also, the prong setting is an old style of setting that goes along with the rest of the Victorian style. The result is quite stunning and even more so on my client. She could definitely be cast in a period piece.  I should look into getting my work on the next series! I’m sure it’s all old heirlooms and not new designs. Of course, who would know the difference?

My client calls this her “weddings ring” because the redesign I created repurposed the diamonds and metal from a couple of her wedding rings.

Here are a bit of the redesign details. I hand carved the sculptural design in wax and added details of tiny bead drops to give it an organic feel. After sending her old gold off to the refinery, I cast the new design in 14k peach gold. I featured the repurposed diamonds from her old wedding rings with a bead set style texture to compliment the bead drop design in the ring.

The result is pretty amazing and my client loves it! Makes me happy to have a happy client.

I was asked to design a couple of cremation necklaces for a sister and brother who had lost their father. This design request was both technically challenging, in that I’d never made this type of vessel to hold something so sentimental and also to create individual vessels for each sibling that was representational to them and in their relationship to their father. I also wanted the pendants to have a similar design esthetic even though the siblings live in different parts of the country.

When I began to research cremation pendants, what I found looked like a little flask with a screw top. I’m not a designer who is into mechanisms and I was more interested in designing vessels where the contents were contained inside with permanence. I had designed a necklace for a client who is an acupuncturist. She wanted a small vessel to contain elements of ground up sage, tobacco leaves and amethyst that ward off bad energy. I created a delicate necklace with a small conch shell I had cast in silver that had a tiny hole where I sprinkled the ground elements inside and soldered it shut. This was the same approach I went with for the design of the cremation pendants. Here is what I came up with.

The sister wanted something simple and understated. She said her father called her Sunshine. I created a tubular style vessel with a dot pattern of the sun. It’s abstract, but also representational.

The brother practices yoga. I decided a triangle shape was best for him in that it’s a pose in yoga and a bit more masculine in it’s structure than a tube. His only design request was to have the OM symbol somewhere.

I decided to put the OM symbol on the back of pendant. I wanted it to rest against his heart, bringing a sense of peace and closeness to his father.

Standing underneath a palm tree in Charleston, SC. The view is beautiful.

An azalea with morning dew.

Oysters shells, such amazing textural variations and so delicious.

I just created 3 new textures to add to my collection of men’s wedding bands. These will be found in the Manlier Collection of my shop.

From the top and working down the totem pole are as follows:

Herringbone- inspired by men’s suit fabric.  Glacier- inspired by ice, rocks and mountainous range.  Plaid- inspired by men’s suit fabric.  Grid- inspired by lug nuts and grids.  Bark- inspired by various tree bark.

“Be the one you love” is a phrase I’ve been thinking about lately. It’s you to love first to be able to love another.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

From The Memento Collection: Gritty Heart Ring

With good intentions for 2012 and forward. I am counting my many blessings, for they are abundant. It’s all in how you look at things. Cheers.

I’ll be selling my wares at the Rock & Shop Market in Durham on Saturday, December 17th. Check out the website for more information.  www.rockandshopmarket.com

Here’s a few new pieces that will be featured in the market . These items are all available on my shop as well.

BRONZE HORSE CAMEO NECKLACE- Hand-cast horse cameo pendant,  strung with matte black heishi beads and knotted with mustard silk.

BRONZE CLASP- Detail of hand-made bronze clasp.

MINI TRIANGLES NECKLACE- Textured triangles in blackened silver with tiny yellow gold jump ring details. One triangle hangs in the center of the chain and the other rests by the clavicle. Very sweet and sexy.

SHEEP NECKLACE- Tiny hand-cast sheep in blackened silver, strung with indigo seed beads. I made a mold of a model train set’s sheep, so he’s super tiny and the bright beads just make it pop.

MINI SQUARE POSTS- Textured square post earrings in blackened silver. Perfect for guys or gals.

ORIGAMI NECKLACE- Bronze hand-carved and cast origami pendant with blackened silver chain and bronze handmade clasp.

KNOTTED JASPER NECKLACE-  Hand-knotted Impression Jasper 6mm beads, knotted with teal silk and hand-cast braided bronze clasp.

I’ve been busy making new work for a holiday trunk show I’m doing tomorrow. Here is a new design using 6mm natural beads knotted and finished with a hand cast bronze braided hook clasp. I like wearing the necklace with the clasp resting on the side, around the clavicle area,  instead of the back of the neck. Bohemian Cool.

Beth Elaine Coiner is BEC ~ handcrafted JEWELRY using repurposed raw materials.
Along with her signature organic designs, new creations will include beading and threading techniques finished with bronze and blackened silver castings.
Beth is also known for custom/bespoke projects of repurposing old fine jewelry into new designs, so keep that in mind for a future gift for yourself.

http://decemberstore.tumblr.com/

The December Store at .NO
Saturdays Only: Dec 3, Dec 10, Dec 17 and Dec 24, 2011, 12-6 pm

We are very pleased to announce the December Store, an artists multiples and small works store at .NO a Non-profit Art Gallery at 251 East Houston Street in NYC. Open every Saturday… in December leading up to Christmas. The December Store is the curatorial initiative of Vanessa Albury and Sörine Anderson. December Store comprised of over 50 NYC-based and international artists selling works. Inspired by the pop-up store of the Fluxus era and the notion that everyone should be able to afford to own art, Anderson and Albury have assembled artists within their own community to participate in this project. The artists range from writers to international curators, filmmakers to bookmakers, poets to perfumers, and bakers to painters. Many of the works are specially crafted for the December Store. You’ll find snow globes, masks, paintings, prints, jewelry, objects, hand-painted cards, audio and video works and much more for $100 or less. Shopping at the December Store will also provide support for .NO, an artist-run, non-for-profit which opened earlier this year.

Each Saturday a NYC-based artist working in performance or video will be featured. Video screenings by Ronnie Bass, Amy Granat and John Torreano. Performances by Rachel Mason, Jason Martin and special guests.

Come shop for some unique treasures, experience moving image works and warm up with some hot cider and sugar cookies with us!