Sunday, December 21, 2008

11th Day of Christmas Feature on Emily


The Emily was made in 1998 and it has been a great necklace for both women and men. The heavy cable chain is a great weight for a chunky and casual statement, perfect for jeans, sweaters and boots. It is straightforward in its simplicity and the polished finish really make the words the star attraction.

A mountain keeps an echo
deep inside itself.
That’s how I hold your voice.

-Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

I love the visual one gets from these words—the powerful image of the mountain juxtaposed against the intimacy of holding a voice, an essence, in your hand. Contrasts are always important to me; the grand in the particular, the place where the edge of one thing meets with another…the delicacy of the echo that lives within the strength of the mountain…the echoes of so many of the voices of my own past influence me constantly; teachers and friends and mentors who I keep “deep inside myself” and whose wisdom informs my work to this day. I am remembering particularly one of my teachers, Kevin Radley, who encouraged me to go on and to make my statement as an artist and as a person. These echoes are precious, and during this holiday season, when we are all so prone to personal reflection, we hear them in our quietest moments.

5 comments:

  1. I have this necklace and absolutely love it. I wear it with the Calder and never take it off.

    If I didn't already have it, I would jump on this!

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  2. My boyfriend is a musician from San Rafael. In fact he has regular gigs in the city very near the Jeanine Payer store. I, on the other hand (or coast you could say), live in Virginia.

    We met while he was on the road three and a half years ago & we manage to see each other every few months. But for the most part our relationship has unfolded over the phone ......with words. And his voice--is the most constant, tangible thing I have of him. I can almost hold it in my hand.

    For his birthday nearly two years ago I gave him this necklace. He cried when he read the inscription. He's worn it every day since.

    It's the design of the necklace, so solid and real, engraved with such an intimate, delicate sentiment that makes it such a profound piece.

    Thank you Jeanine for loving Rumi and Coleman Barks. And thank you for making something beautiful that means so much to Steve and I.

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  3. Jeanine,

    We met briefly at Louie Salon a few weeks ago. I LOVE your blog, your website and will have to come back when I have more time to buy jewelry items. I like so many of them, it will take a while to decide.

    I am also a fan of Rumi, so that blog post really drew me in....

    Happy Holidays!

    Kara
    kara@thefoodcravingsolution.com

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  4. Thank you all for your wonderful comments. I am overwhelmed....this blogging is relatively new to me and I have never recieved so much positive feedback directly before. I love hearing everyone's stories and relationships to the jewelry! thank you for sharing. --jp

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  5. i feel compelled to say something here... my name is emily. this necklace is perfect for me: it is a quote i have loved for a long time. my fiance was killed in an accident this past august. i just graduated from college, and i'm really hoping this necklace will stick around for a few years so i can buy it and never take it off... it will maybe replace his dogtag.

    your work is moving, jeanine. i love it.

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