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Outta My Head, Into Metal

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The 2011 summer edition of San Francisco’s Metal Arts Guild newsletter will be showcasing Sherry Cordova as an artist member. Since the newsletter is printed in black and white, we thought you might like to see some color pictures of the inspirations and work described in the article.

On a SCUBA diving trip to the Sea of Cortez in 2009, a pod of dolphins played with the boat while we traveled to the dive site. Luckily I was taking a picture of a flying dolphin in the boat wake at the same time one of the larger dolphins did a belly flop, soaking my back.
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The flying dolphin that saved the camera
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The dolphin who soaked us with a belly flop near the bow

Once we were in the water, the dolphins apparently stayed close, although out of sight.

Under water we were treated to an amazing experience of being encircled by a large school of sardines during the entire dive. Usually a school will come across divers, or vice versa, and keep traveling. The three of us watched in amazement as the school changed shapes and directions and yet stayed close to us; we all knew this was a special treat.

When we surfaced from the dive, we noticed that the dolphins were nearby and asked the boat captain if he’d been watching them during our entire dive.

The captain told us that the dolphins were circling us throughout our dive, thus explaininig the mysterious behavior of the fish school. The wall of sardines had been so thick that we missed seeing the dolphins on the other side of the ‘wall’.

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The eye of the swirling school
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“Swirling School” Pendant

 

Even while diving, I knew I had to recreate this experience somehow in jewelry. I wanted to elicit the sensation of the school swirling around us, and the individuals in the school, as well as the space in between the fish and us.

 

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“Reflections” Earrings

I began by creating swirling filigree forms. And, I also designed and made some earrings that incorporated open space, togetherness, and yet non-uniformity.

Something was still missing that tied the whole experience together. I had a vague idea that I wanted the “Reflections” style earrings to be static yet kinetic. While I let the idea simmer in my head, I wore a pair of earrings that reminded me of my goal.

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Prototype Earrings

Almost eighteen months after the dive, here are the earrings that were percolating in my head all that time

Sterling silver "Sea of Cortez 3D Kinetic Earrings"

"Sea of Cortez 3D Kinetic" Earring Extenders with Stud Earrings


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