It's Wednesday! Today's spotlight is on a new Lost and Found piece that is especially dear to my heart because it is a poppy! (For those of you who don't know, the poppy is California's state flower, which is why my logo has poppies incorporated into it.) So here's your history lesson for the day:
Art Nouveau was a reaction to the "academic art" (Neoclassicism and Romanticism) of the 19th century and the segway into the early modernism of the 20th century. It bridged the gap between its predecessors: the extremely ornate styles and ethereal paintings of years past, and the future: simplistic, clean lines and the attention to detail as in the Arts and Crafts, Art Deco and mid-century modern movements that were to come. There was an emphasis on organic forms; trees, flowers, and other plants, as well as other flowing, curvilinear motifs. I recently found this awesome bracelet from the Art Nouveau era (1890-1905) and decided to make 4 limited edition necklaces out of the charms. They are sterling silver over brass which makes them very lightweight. Because they are so old, the color is beautifully tarnished and on a couple of places, the brass is actually showing through. I love the freeform look of the poppies and thought they were the perfect pieces for a signature Ruth Parker necklace. Who knows, maybe someday we'll make reproductions and this will be the "it" necklace of my brand! For now, there are only 4 available, so grab one while you can!
Materials: Sterling silver plated brass antique poppy charms, Sterling Silver chain, silver plated fancy rings, jumprings, lobster clasp and tab
