This necklace is a semi-clear quartz picked up from the beach. It’s been wrapped with wire that’s threaded with a thin, silver chain hooked behind my neck. The cloudy quartz extends in a spear just under my shirt, one point reaching down and the other holding fast to its wire cage. A cold feel extends from its touch, warming as skin does to objects, as the hard and smooth feel of it reaches my fingers as they reach to grasp the jagged surface.
Churned by the ocean, the rock becomes smooth and shaped into a small, lovely spire. Quartz is common on beaches, but this rock in particular was one with the potential to be portrayed in the form of jewelry. Collecting rocks can serve a purpose yet the rocks often sit collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. Plucked from the vast expanse of rock at a beach on an isolated island off the West coast of Canada, the rock found its place wrapped in wire from Michaels and threaded with a chain, becoming a symbolic piece of jewelry.
As I probe the beaches of the island, I spot rocks with fascinating colours that are spun into pebbles with a smooth surface that I can feel as I pick them up, turn them over in my hand and place them either in my pocket or back on the beach. I explore this island once every year or so with my dad. Taking his boat out into the Pacific Ocean, this stop has become a common visitation where we develop a routine of exploration.
This rock holds memories. As childhood grows into adulthood, and relationships change, I can continue to value those moments out at sea with my dad. We can forget all the problems that exist on the mainland and find peace in the lapping of the waves, the climbing of jagged cliffs to reach rocky beaches and the shapes and colours of each individual rock we spot. Some rocks are common, but out there, every one feels special and upon leaving them behind I feel a sense of sadness, wishing they could all find a place at home with me. Fortune brought me to this piece of quartz, and the artist in me brought it to life as a memento of my adventures, with me whenever I feel like adding something to my style.
As each day passes, I keep this necklace, piled with dozens of others in my jewelry box. Each necklace serves the purpose of accessorizing, however this one portrays not only my collected quartz but my artistic spirit. Something about collecting the rock, wire, and chain, and bringing them together makes me never want to lose this item.