From Nature to Necklaces: The Inspiration Behind My Wire Wrapped Jewelry
It all begins with an idea. An idea stemmed from the beauty of nature that surrounds me, that surrounds all of us. I have always been drawn to the outdoors. I have memories as a kid roaming around the woods behind my parents home in New Jersey. Picking up cool rocks where I found them. Building forest structures out of sticks and leaves. Generally, I was just getting lost back there without a care in the world, while I listened to the nature around me.
Fast forward to adulthood, and I move to Colorado when I’m just barely 21. Colorful Colorado: the place to go to hike, camp, and anything outdoors. It was love at first sight. You couldn’t pay me to leave this place. That was back in 2008. I’m now 36 and you still can’t keep me out of the woods or from picking up rocks and putting them in my pocket or backpack while on a hike. My rock collection got really massive at one point. I needed to start doing something with them. It was probably about six or seven years ago, at a time in my life where I was discovering more about myself, that I decided to dive deep into the metaphysical and psychological sciences. I couldn’t stop thinking about how there is an energy force in everything around us; and I couldn’t stop thinking about how that energy affects ourselves as human beings.
To say I dove deep is completely an understatement. It was more of a submersion. It was here that I got into Buddhism and began practicing meditation. It was this practice that led me to making mala necklaces and bracelets. I continued to learn more about the metaphysical properties of the stones and beads I was working with in my mala making. After a few years of beadwork, I wanted to raise the bar on my craft. I had always been drawn to wire wrapped stone jewelry and couldn’t help but be drawn to the free-flowing form and intricacy of the designs and how the artist had complete control to manipulate the wire anyway they wanted and as freely as possible.
Original Design & Photographed by: Alexa Messenbrink (owner & designer of Freedom & Flow Designs, LLC)
I knew this is what I wanted to learn. After doing a bunch of research, I found…NOTHING. There are no schools teaching the heady and elegant techniques of the wire work I was wanting to make. There were no teachers of the craft in my area. Going online was even harder. Barely any of the wire artists wanted to share their techniques and those that did charge top dollar to teach. I started with free tutorials and when I started to get better, I started selling my simple pieces using the same beads I used for my mala’s and then started upgrading to taking paid online tutorials.
Once I learned framework and practiced different types of stone setting techniques, I couldn't stop wrapping. My stone collection grew, as did my wire selection. From cheap craft wire to sourcing high-quality precious metals, it all grew. There was now no limit to what I could do with my art.
I have always let the energy of the stones I’m working with guide where the wire goes. I can see the shape of the finished product before I begin laying out the frame. I can see the flow of the stones’ energy as it swirls around its raw edges. It’s this flow of energy that drives the flow of the wire. I shape the wire to mimic this flow. Each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind because of this process. I will never make the same piece twice because of this process. This is what guarantees that you will receive a completely one-of-one design that speaks to you. One that no one else will have.
I love creating these pieces. When I look at things around me, especially things found in nature, I can’t help but look at how I can frame it out in wire. I’m constantly thinking about new designs. New ways of wrapping a stone. New ways of making a weave. New ways of playing with negative and positive spaces. I hope you get a sense of joy when you look at my pieces. I hope my wire work helps you feel and see the energy of the stones the way I do.
To shop my unique designs, click here!
-Lex
