It always astounds me how creative some people are.  Not just how they manipulate their chosen materials but what inspired them in the first place.  Karole and Grady are a husband and wife team based in New Mexico.  Their Etsy store, Oropopo, reflects their interest in a wide range of materials but their cut leather jewelry are particular standouts.


Not surprisingly, given their location, many of their laser cut pieces were inspired by Native American culture. For example, the idea for the striking chevron necklace above came from Native American bone hair pipe breastplates.

The earrings below were inspired by local Navajo weaving patterns.  Karole said these were "adapted from Germantown "eyedazzler" blankets and the hourglass motif - an archetypal symbol of Navajo cosmology." The architectural look of some of the designs can be explained by Karole's background in architecture and engineering!

The bold black necklace below uses a pattern inspired by unmarried Hopi women's squash blossom hairdos.  You can see a picture of the hairdo in this earlier listing.


 Their Constellation collection with numerous circles is also beautiful!  Their lovely work does indeed " combine site and culture with contemporary technology to create intimate objects for daily use."


 Before You Go:
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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips