Kaitlin McCord, George Brown College
“Who hasn’t gazed up into the limitless night sky—those billions of suns, swirled galaxies, worlds; that infinite and profound darkness punctuated by bursts of brilliant bodies—and felt that awesome sense of insignificance wash over you? The starry night that hangs over our world (and many, many other worlds at that) prompts the big questions and calls us to the pursuit of knowledge.
“This necklace is a love letter to science, the spirit of exploration, and the magnificence of the cosmos. Its oscillating portals could perhaps reveal new dimensions, distant pockets of the universe, or rips in the fabric of spacetime. Heavily inspired by a love of science both real and fictitious, each piece of this necklace is hand-carved in wax and cast into sterling silver. Space is textured and oxidized to provide that familiar black and velvety vessel that holds the shimmering array of planets, stars, galaxies, asteroid fields, gas clouds, and other celestial stuff adorning this piece. ‘A Rip in Spacetime’ is a necklace to remind the wearer of the bewildering immensity that exists outside ourselves, the spectacular unknown, and the human experience.”
Patricia Melendez, George Brown College
“My piece was created to represent the concept of personal journey. ‘Follow Your Star’ is a piece that reflects one’s own life journey, its pathways, and all life’s intricacies. At the same time, this piece also calls for others to reflect upon their own journey. No matter where you are, you always have your guide, your own star to follow. I find myself attracted to organic shapes that simulate movement and simultaneously incorporate simple geometric patterns. Part of my process also involves creating contrast within my pieces using texture. This piece was fabricated with 925 silver, 10-karat yellow gold, and one beautiful, imperfect Herkimer diamond. The techniques I used were metal forming and wax casting.”
Melendez comes from a family of creative women—her mother is a textile designer, and her grandmother was a dancer. Born in El Salvador, she had planned to become an interior designer before entering the jewellery industry.
