The Catfish

This large brooch was made for me as a birthday gift by my friend Deborah Kaspari, the artist.  She specializes in animals, particularly birds, and does painting, drawing, sculpture, and even, as a bit of fun, metalcasting.  This is cast from her own design in the shape of a catfish swimming in swirls of water and pond plants.  It has a little blue glass bead in the filigree at the top.  I feel very lucky to have my own personal one-of-a-kind brooch, especially from someone as skilled (and busy) as Debby.

This brooch is both large and showy, and so needs something substantial to pin it on.  Here I have it on a red dress and jacket outfit.  Just as a little note, Debby has been invited to do a portrait of Gloria Steinem when she visits here next month, and I will attend that event as her guest, probably in this outfit.

The Seahorse

This is a large, glamorous brooch that has a closed bar in back rather than a pin, so one can put it on fine silk scarves without worry.  It is of a cast silvery metal (but not silver) and paved with multicolored crystals and cabochons.  It is from the Painted Door in Oklahoma City, a kitschy gift store that seems to specialize in way over-the-top accessories.  I am not a regular shopper there, but happened to go there with a friend from rural Texas who rarely has any fun at all and was clamoring to do anything not immediately connected with livestock. 

I wear this when I am feeling powerful enough to literally carry it, since it's quite heavy.  Here it is with a finely pleated, block-striped silk scarf from the New York Museum of Modern Art.  The whole look is quite dramatic.

The Orphan

This large angular brooch is made of, I believe, tin with a welded-on brass insert.  It has some raised filigree.  It was actually "dumped" on me, which is why I call it the orphan.  An acquaintance who accumulated lots of random stuff and then regularly got rid of it simply didn't want her brooch any more.  Frankly, I didn't either, but she pressed it on me, and it's not like it was a having to take home a puppy...  The rectilinear aspect and the welded parts are not my taste in jewelry, but it's also my nature to take in strays and make the best of it. 

This brooch is rather hard to wear because of its size, and also because of its lack of cleverness.  I have it here at the throat of a front-zipped chenille sweater.

The Antelope

This sterling antelope is a favorite of mine.  I like the extreme abstraction (a bit like the copper horse) and the heavily textured body, with primitive motifs.  On the back are the initials IHMSS (for Indian Handmade Sterling Silver) and the outline of a butte with the letter E in it.  I wish I had paid more attention to the artist when I bought it -- this seems to have been a bad habit of mine.  I would love to be a supporter of individual artists, and that can only happen when one bothers to find out their names!  I am pretty sure I bought this in a museum store; this is my new favorite venue for handcrafted jewelry (and much else).

This pin is easy to wear, since it's silver, not too big, not too small, and not too funky.  Here it is on a (perhaps) retro velvet gingham vest.