The triangle focal piece on this neckpiece is a piece of brass found during one of my rummages through a bin at my local scrap yard. Brass Treasure Neckpiece by Annie Desantis
Hammered and pierced, the focal piece is wrapped in pure silver wire threaded with tiny recycled glass beads.
These tiny beads are made from ground recycled glass in Africa. A fabulous use of waste glass, but also these tiny treasures are their livelihood.
Brass Treasure Neckpiece – closeup by Annie Desantis
A tiny disk of hammered, patina’d hot water cylinder dangles off the bottom, and the piece is attached to a hand beaten chain made from recycled copper and brass with hammered blobs of solder.
This neckpiece is a collection of recycled elements! The lime and yellow sari silk in the centre focal piece, is factory waste that I buy from women in India. Some of the tiny treasures I have unearthed among the scraps are gorgeous.
Limeyellow Sari Silk Focal neckpiece by Annie Desantis
The silk is wrapped with enameled copper wire around a square hammered copper wire piece made from recycled electrical wire with a hammered solder bead (blob actually!)
Limeyellow SariSilk Focal Neckpiece (closeup) by Annie Desantis
The lower circle is wound with teeny tiny wires I reclaim from old speakers, hammered, then partly wrapped in pure silver wire and hung with tiny recycled lemon yellow glass beads. These tiny glass beads are hand made in sand with fire from crushed glass in Africa. No fancy kilns or even electricity! Amazing how creative people always find ways to work, but more importantly these tiny treasures are their livelihood.
The dangle on the right hand side is a hammered piece of brass found in my local scrap yard, threaded with another tiny lemon recycled hand made bead.
The chain is made from individual hammered curly links, with a leather thong around the neck, attached with pure silver wrapping and two more tiny lemon recycled glass beads.
These earrings are part of my range “I used to be a hot water cylinder”. Turning junk into beautiful jewelry is something I love to do, and one of my favorites is cutting up pieces of hot water cylinders and turning them into wearable art. “I Used To Be A Hot Water Cylinder” Spiral Earrings by Annie Desantis
The disks were hand cut and hammered over concrete to create a rough knobbly texture, which is perfect for building up the patina process. The hot water cylinders already have some interested aged patina, but these earrings have several process (top secret!) that I use to build layers of gorgeous verdigris. I then wax the disks to protect them.
These earrings are assembled with pure silver wire, hammered copper wire (both recycled) and old Tibetan beads made from coral and turquoise chips. The ear wires are Sterling silver.
My series “I used to be a hot water cylinder” grew out fossicking round scrap yards and have one fabulous man “Hillbilly” who tucks aside interesting pieces of metal for me. I have a stash of old hot water cylinders which I cut, hammer, roll and shape.
“I used to be a hot water cylinder” ~Blue Dreaming ~ by Annie Desantis
Blue Dreaming has a focal piece that is hammered and rolled from a piece of hot water cylinder. Then coloured with layers and layers of Prisma colours and pigments.
The beads are hand made also, hammered from reclaimed plumber’s pipe and coloured with layers of patina in several processes and waxed. Attached to hammered and soldered electrical wire, also hand waxed and coloured, around the back of the neck, factory waste sari silk that has been wrapped in pure silver wire (recycled of course!).
Blue Dreaming is embellished with smaller hot water cylinder pieces, and pure silver spirals.
“I used to be a hot water cylinder” ~ Blue dreaming closeup ~ By Annie Desantis
Art and Jewelry created from recycled and transformed materials
