This is a reprise from an entry I wrote for Art Jewelry Elements quite a while ago... I wanted to share it on my own blog, mainly for archival purposes, and to continue this thread of exploration into rocks and shells, in future posts. Enjoy!
I collect things from the shorelines where I have lived. Shells, stones, feathers...
When I was small I was fortunate to live on or near the Gulf Coast. I have many memories and sensations of sand, sea and surf. The smell of salt water, the sea critters I encountered: crabs, starfish, and even dolphins. It was magical. This has been a source of inspiration for me...
 |
| Gulf Shore Days - me sitting on a rock |
 |
| My friends |
 |
| Me and my sister |
 |
| Beachy Beads! |
 |
| More Beachy Beads! |
No less magical were the shores of Lake Superior - the largest fresh water body of water on Earth - we moved there when I was bout 9 years old. A true Inland Sea - full of majesty just as powerful as any salt-water ocean. Here I encountered places and stones of astonishing color and texture.
I have many memories of living in Lake Superior country...
 |
| Rock-strewn shores |
 |
| Me, age 11 or 12 |
 |
| Me and my sister an... yes I really did run around barefoot all summer. |
 |
| Me again, meeting Paul Bunyan at Hiawatha Forest... |
 |
| My baby brother Jake asleep fishing, while one of the great ore boats passes - little does he know here, his little rock perch is about to be engulfed in a wave from the wake of this mighty ship. But don't worry, he survived and is perfectly okay now. :) |
But mostly I remember the ROCKS - like the ones I collected at Agate Bay or Pictured Rocks shore. I was lucky to be able to return to Superior about 15 years ago to collect a few more...
 |
| Rocks |
 |
| Rocks |
 |
| ...polished by water |
 |
| Superior-tumbled rocks |
 |
| Rocks bathing in the watery froth of Superior |
 |
| A glimpse through the crystal clear waters |
 |
| Sorted rocks - amazing color! |
I sometimes step back and wonder at how incredibly similar the shores of the Gulf Coast Ocean are to the shores of the Inland Sea - Lake Superior, or as I have come to know it: Kitchigami.
Though I no longer have the actual shells I collected from the Gulf Coast, I do have several stones from Kitchigami. They are incredibly important to me, and they are my muse...
 |
| My collection: nature inspired forms, colors, textures |
 |
| ... my source and my creation |
What are you sources of Inspiration? I'd love to hear about them!
