Kimi Kaplowitz

When I approach a project, I always start with the stones. I like to lay them out visually and design elements around them that will accentuate them. For this project, the sunstone is so large I thought it would be a cool center stone for a necklace. Creating large, intricate necklaces incorporating gemstones isn’t something I do much of, but I really wanted to take on the challenge.

In thinking of a necklace design, I knew I wanted something V-shaped, as I find it’s complementary to the body. I also knew I wanted to incorporate female figures as a prominent element in the piece, as they’re often seen in Greek sculpture and pottery, which felt like a nice nod to Lorna’s love of Greek history. When thinking about the design, I began visualizing the idea of women finding each other in space. Placing the sunstone in the center of the piece to represent the sun, I imagined female figures surrounding it, reaching out across the space, just as Lorna and Jackie are reaching out to one another. While the rest of the necklace is silver, the figures are bronze, which I believe will develop a nice patina over time and lend another nod to Greek pottery.