Joan LeLacheur
Studio: Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Jewelry from the Sea

From start to finish my work has to do with the Earth and Sea. It’s a delight to gather Quohaug shell from my favorite beaches. The seagulls participate by dropping the shell on the rocks breaking them perfectly for my use. I have a thank you song I sing to them. The process of turning the shell into the shapes I desire involves grinding on a wheel in a repetitive and meditative motion and a constant flow of water. Finally after cutting shaping smoothing drilling and stringing what shell is left goes into filling the holes in my driveway.