May 21st, 2008
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The Lapis Tree by Cris Fisher, Queen of the Cat People
Lapis hearts, moonstone drops, quartz, glass, pearls, & sterling. Click the image for a hi-res version.
Based on “A Dirge For Prester John” by Catherynne M. Valente
“I took him to the river which churns agate against marble and showed him the thing we had made: a sapling, whose stem was of silver, whose leaves curled deep and blue, lapis dark as eyes, veined in quartz flaws. Tiny fruits of white opal hung glittering from its slender branches, and the moon washed it in christening light. This is hell, he quavered, as I stroked the jeweled tree. It seemed to shrink from him in shame. I touched his face, his unyielding neck; I wrenched his head towards me, and he stared into the eyes that blink from my breasts, the cobalt leaves peeking around my ribs like the heads of curious peacocks. At the ends of the earth is paradise; look around you, the earth is nowhere to be seen, I had whispered, and I do not need pearls.”
Ms. Valente never fails to include literal treasures in her work- luscious gems and precious metals- and has inspired me to make so many pieces of jewelry based on her stories. This passage reminds me of the alchemical aspect of love, transforming base people into precious creatures, which is the very nature of the human soul. But some get hung up on perceived costs and don’t realize it is given freely.
I’m also a sucker for lapis.
Cris Fisher
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Filed under Auctions, Interfictions, Jewelry, Necklaces |
[…] to my Internet troubles some IAFAuctions did not go up on schedule! Luckily one did. Cris did a beautiful necklace for Prester John and I got to poke it for the first time yesterday. It stood up to poking! The other auction was […]