Frida Kahlo earrings

Frida kahlo stud earrings

I recently read a line in the sidebar of the Earrings – Everyday blog. It goes like this “Earrings Everyday hopes to inspire those who make earrings and adorn those who love to wear them!” It is not a new addition to their sidebar but it is the first time that I have actually read it. For someone who reads a lot, I clearly do not read enough. The line also bears connection to this post and my recent Frida Kahlo earrings.

We’re All Ears :: November Inspiration – Quotes

Those who read Ms. Erin’s posts on the EE blog or ABS blogs would know that she is a wordsmith. Even her comments on blogposts are beautifully worded. I am a fan of her components (and her finished jewelry ofcourse!) but I am a bigger fan of her writing. So much so, the first time she commented on my blog, I was over the moon. The Tesori Trovati (treasures found) Simple Truths components that she creates have the most amazing of words stamped on them. So for this month’s challenge Ms. Erin has challenged us to take inspiration from one of the four quote calendar images below and translate them into earrings.

Whew! A Challenge indeed!

Nov2017_Quotes

Chart your own course

Though I liked all four of them, I was stumped when it came to translating any one of these quotes into earrings. I thought I could use dark blue stars for the first quotes but then it sounded too cliché. I thought of doing “grow” with components of increasing value but it sounded even more boring than the first idea. I couldn’t bring myself to make them.

My favourite of all four was C. “When everything feels like an Uphill battle, just think of the view from the top.’  Since this quote really resonated with me I badly wanted to use it. So I thought, and thought and thought, but alas nothing – not one visual came to my head. In the end I picked B – “Chart your own course” and went with the first image that came to my head. That of Frida Kahlo.

Frida Bottle PendantFrida Kahlo

Frida, in my opinion, is the icon who epitomises the phrase “Chart your own growth“. She used (and portrayed) her pain – both physical and psychological in her work. She derived strength from her roots, her culture which I believe helped her stay true to her aesthetics and style. She was resilient and strong. She was politically active in a masculine way  while showcasing the exotic feminine. The plethora of portraits that she has done seems to ask the “Whom am I?” question over and over again. When I think or talk about Frida, I dislike using the word “Despite her…” but rather use “because of”, for I believe that the need to justify the pain in her life is what made her have a memorable, fruitful life. It is what I think created her legacy.

This is a sentiment that I truly understand for whenever I am in pain or chronically depressed the only thing that I ask myself that what can I do to make it worth my while? How can I turn that moment of suffering into something fruitful?

Frida kahlo stud earrings

Frida Kahlo Earrings

I had made a pair of Frida earrings that I made earlier this year for the June ABS Art bead necklace post. The beads were from Priscilla beads. Incidentally, in the beginning of this month, the earrings were sold and left me with an urge to create another pair for myself.  Sometime back I had come across an image of Frida by Tracy Andrews and made a bottle pendant out of it (above). Sadly it still remains and UFO. So Frida was at the back of my head even while I was contemplating other inspirations for this challenge. Having zeroed in on Frida, I used the same image as in the bottle necklace to create charms. They came out looking like glass or ceramic (the photos do not do them any justice) that I loved them. I made another pair to sell.

frieda earrings

Top: ABS Challenge beaded earrings – Sold | Bottom: Frida dangler earrings – for sale

Frida kahlo earrings hook

I chose pink miracle beads, coated crystals and a combination of artistic brass and natural brass wire to compliment the antique brass bezel settings. Incidentally, all three Earrings have pink accents in them. Maybe, I am going into a pink phase as I have recently bought a good load of pink fabrics too.

Frida’s creations (including her look and style) has inspired many others to create. Likewise this inspiration like many others before, has inspired me to make jewelry for both myself and to adorn those who love to wear them.

Do follow me to the Earrings Everyday blog to take a look at what the other participants have made. In the meanwhile do tell me in the comments, how you visualise these quotes. What images come to your mind when you read them?

I hope you found it interesting
Cheers

16 responses to “Frida Kahlo earrings”

  1. baymoondesign avatar
    baymoondesign

    Your pendant and earrings are wonderful. Your image of Freda is reproduced beautifully. She is a powerful illustration of your quote that you selected. Well done!

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      Thank you for compliments

  2. Susan Delphine Delaney avatar

    What an inspiring discussion of Frida’s life, interwoven with how you allowed her to encourage you. Beautiful earrings.

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      Thank you Susan, Frida seems to be a reoccurring topic of discussion in my life recently. so its no wonder that I wanted to work with an image of hers

  3. Erin Prais-Hintz avatar

    Ahhh….Miss Divya, what a blessed way to start my day!
    I am delighted to know that my work – whether it is jewelry or components or writing – has touched your soul and made a difference! That is all I ever want, to make things that inspire others to turn around and inspire more people! It is comments like this that make me miss my own blog that has crickets chirping in the background. I suppose FB is the new blog for me where I try to use my words to uplift and inspire. If we aren’t friends there, I would have to say – why not?!
    I really like visiting your blog because I sense that you are a thinker and a researcher, like me. I adore that you translated the quote into an icon like Frida Kahlo. She was a pioneer not because that was a stated mission, but because that is what she truly was deep down in her soul. I love all the earrings that you made with them, especially the one on the tile shaped beads. So dynamic and vibrant, just like her!
    As for the other quotes, I think that if you give it a bit more time the right manifestation will come to you. I kept seeing triangular shapes and stars represented by shine, which equated to sparkles, in turn crystals. Perhaps it is because it is so very dreary in the weather at this time of year where I live, I want to infuse light and color into everything I do!
    I love having you join in the journey on both the Earrings Everyday and Art Bead Scene Studio blogs! I always look forward to reading what direction your inspirational journey has pointed you and seeing the beauty that you bring to the world.
    You are my ‘something good’ today! Enjoy the day! Erin

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      I am so touched that I in turn was able to inspire you and more importantly make you feel happy today. Yes, research gives me a lot of joy as I love to learn new things. Blogging has been an incredibly rewarding journey as it connects me with a lot of likeminded folks from whom I can learn. I do hope that we become friends and inspire each for a very long time. To that effect I have sent you a facebook friends request. I hope that you would accept it.

  4. Neena Shilvock avatar

    Divya, I love the earrings and the quote that inspired them. Friday is an icon of beauty triumphant over adversity and pain and I love the story of her and Leon Trotsky.
    Great characterisation!!!

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      I didnt know that Frida Kahlo and Leon Trotsky were connected. Interesting, I’ll find out more

  5. Deborah Schlegel avatar

    Great interpretation of the quote and beautiful earrings! Frida has also been an influence for me – her life, strength and art are so inspiring.

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      yes, I love the way that Frida made her body a canvas for her style. A beautiful example of how issues of body image can be tackled

  6. Rozantia Petkova avatar

    Frida Kahlo is a powerful inspiration, a strong soul that makes you think if you could be like her. There couldn’t be a better choice to illustrate this quote. And the elements and colors of your choice show the symbiosis of her tender female soul and the fighter soul !

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      Yes, she makes you think “If she can do it, I can do it too”. Another lesson that I learnt from her is that you can be exotic even while following your customs and roots; you do not have to always associate foreign with exotic.

  7. Sarajo Wentling avatar
    Sarajo Wentling

    I love your Frida earrings earrings and the thought behind choosing her image to work with for this challenge. It’s always so fun to see how everyone interprets things each month!

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      For me, the choice of Frida was natural, it came instantly. The fact that one or other of my students pick Frida as their design inspiration every semester means that she is always at the back of my head.

  8. Maria Grasso avatar
    Maria Grasso

    Hello,
    Can you please tell me how much the dangle Frieda Kahlo earrings cost and can I have them by Chritmas?
    My mobile no is 07957 365569.
    Perhaps you can call me.
    Many thanks
    Maria Grasso

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      Dear Maria – I am sorry, those are sold. I can custom make them for you at a later date but its not possible before Christmas

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