Lightly

As many families in the southern states of the U.S., my ancestral family includes indigenous peoples as well as Irish immigrants. My family’s connection with our indigenous roots has long been severed.

The feather earrings I offer are of my own interpretation and should not be considered among the sacred, medicinal or ceremonial jewelry of indigenous peoples nor affiliated with any closed practices. 

What I am offering is my own heritage: nothing is waste; everything can serve a meaningful purpose. 

I come from a long line of southern descendants of poor, yet determined immigrants.  Whether it was fleeing their homeland, making something out of nothing, or merely keeping the family fed for one more day they did whatever it took to survive.

These people relied on their ingenuity, creativity and defiance to make it. While many of them should not necessarily be remembered as citizens of the year, all of them will be remembered by me at least, as people who didn’t give up.

These earrings represent that to me. For some reason or another it seems to me southern folks love to keep birds. Not just chickens! Over the years I have made more than one friend with emus, peacocks, macaws, turkeys, quail and pheasants. These friends near and far -from Arkansas to Georgia, began sharing with me the feathers their birds naturally molt a few years ago meaning these are 100% cruelty free from well loved birds. 

My own family and I are currently in the process of moving which means I have the emotionally arduous task of downsizing all the things I’ve kept, collected, or simply hoarded over the decades because “I might need it some day”. 

I sat down with my ziploc bags of feathers, pieces of leather salvaged from old furniture, pieces of brass and copper wires saved from old projects and began making these one of a kind earrings. 

They are a celebration of the fact when we tread lightly upon the earth and use what we have in front of us —even if it appears “useless” or “worthless” at first glance, we can create something truly meaningful and valuable. 

Approximately 5” - 7” long. 

Gold plated hypoallergenic surgical steel ear wires.

The black and white barred rooster feather set also feature wire wrapped raw quartz crystal points from the Ozarks. 

One of a kind and ready to ship!