There is a nostalgia in the paintings of American artist Wayne Thiebaud, and it is one that I feel a deep affinity with. Both raised in California, Thiebaud and I share a captivation with the colors, delicacies and everyday pleasures that make the place so distinctive. The indulgent symbols and saturated pastels of Thiebaud’s still-life paintings find their way into my jewelry, where gemstones glisten like confectionery. 

I rediscovered the paintings of Wayne Thiebaud working on a recent project based around LA. I was creating drawings inspired by my daily surroundings such as the quintessentially Californian motifs of palm trees, mountains and skaters with the intention of sparking something remembered fondly. Another reminiscence woven into my recent designs comes from growing up with a collector father. We were surrounded by the work of artists including Billy Al Bengston and Sam Francis, as well as intricate objects of craft and design. This early immersion in art inevitably shaped the way I see color and light, and certainly continues to inform the joyful, painterly quality of my jewelry.

In 1902, unidentified pink crystals were unearthed in Pala, California. Initially known as the “California Iris”, the stone was later named kunzite in recognition of its pink and lilac hues. More than a century later, I have given this rare stone new purpose nestled in the enchanting and exuberant Basket Kunzite Ring. An abundance of luminous and sweet color, the piece speaks to extravagance and the sheer pleasure of something beautiful. 

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