ROLO CHAIN WITH CROSS PENDENT

THIS PIECE IS AN EXERCISE OF PRESERVATION, MEMORY, AND THE ENDURING NATURE OF METAL. THE FOCAL POINT IS A STERLING SILVER CROSS, METICULOUSLY FABRICATED TO BE AN EXACT REPLICA OF ONE WORN BY MY GRANDMOTHER. RECREATING A FAMILY HEIRLOOM IS A DEEPLY INTIMATE PROCESS; IT REQUIRES STUDYING THE ORIGINAL PROPORTIONS, THE EXACT GEOMETRY, AND THE SUBTLE DETAILS THAT MADE THE PIECE UNIQUELY HERS. BY REMAKING IT, I AM TRANSLATING HER MEMORY INTO A PERMANENT, TANGIBLE FORM. TO HONOR THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PENDANT, I PAIRED IT WITH A COMPLETELY HAND-FABRICATED STERLING SILVER CHAIN. EACH INDIVIDUAL LINK WAS FORMED, SOLDERED, AND POLISHED BY HAND, CREATING A SUBSTANTIAL, WEIGHTY FOUNDATION THAT GROUNDS THE SIMPLE, ELEGANT LINES OF THE CROSS. TOGETHER, THE LABOR-INTENSIVE HANDMADE CHAIN AND THE REPLICATED PENDANT BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT, ENSURING THAT A PIECE OF MY FAMILY’S HISTORY CONTINUES TO BE WORN, PROTECTED, AND CARRIED FORWARD.