Jewelry and World Travel Inspiration

Recently I went on an amazing adventure traveling in South East Asia for many months. I went across four different countries, meeting local people and learning about their cultures, as well as experiencing a different life style and admiring the landscapes.
Visting markets, rice paddies, tropical beaches, are only a few experiences that inspired me to come back to my studio and create more and more.

During my trip I visited many ethnic minorities (sometimes called Hill Tribes). Most of them wear traditional clothing that they make by hand. It’s always a stunning work of art!
They weave/embroider/batik their wares using very specific techniques and colors they have developed over the years. The motives they use are things or concepts involving their daily lives. Quiet often, they will also wear jewelry typical to their heritage. In some cases the jewelry is made of silver, but often silver is too expansive so they use tins, coins, and other found materials to make their adornments.
Needless to say, as a jewelry artist I was fascinated by their creativity, imagination, and craftsmanship.

Here I am with the village’s silversmith. I’m trying on a classical tin necklace that she made.  To visit her bamboo hut on stilts we climbed a ladder leading to a small platform. While sitting on the floor she showed me her creations stored in metal trays.
This lady is weaving on a loom. Her outfit is composed of two rectangular pieces of fabric; the red piece she uses to cover her front, and a blue piece wraps her waist and becomes a skirt. She wears a bunch of jewels, but the most interesting part is the many threads of black rubber that wrap her knees.
These two adorable young women are wearing a bunch of jewels made from glass beads, coins and shells. They are known for wearing a big gauge in their earrings. The girl on the left inserted pieces of red coke tins to add color (and to match her outfit).
Imagine my surprise when I discovered an Israeli coin (the one with the menorah on it) among all the coins hanging on the necklace.
This extraordinary Kayan lady is wearing a special neck piece made of heavy brass. They live in central Myanmar and became quite famous for this tradition.
In addition to the stunning outfits these lady are wearing, they also wear many chains on their necks and on their belts. Many loops of silver adorn their ears.