Our New Blog Series: Origins. Design, Inspiration and Craft.

 I'm back! I hadn't realised how many people still see this old blog... more than those who see it on my website anyway. So I am uploading a copy of my website blog here for all of you to enjoy!

 

Hey!

Welcome to the intro of my new blog explaining in a little bit more detail on how some of our more popular or unique designs came to exist. There are a couple of reasons why wanted to create this series.

Firstly, I would love to show you how the design process works in me in creating something new. I am an inventor by heart and love to experiment in my mediums. You can see how the designs do not just pop into existence out of nowhere. They evolve from things in the past. You would be surprised on how often it is pure accident.

The other darker reason is that some of these pendants have become popular enough to be reproduced and sold elsewhere. Without their origin story out there, they will create their own myths that can in time obfuscate and confuse our actual understanding of history. 

One such cautionary tale in my area, blacksmithing, is a pendant know as a Troll Cross. This pendant design is widely understood to be Viking age and historical. We don't bat an eyelid in seeing a historical re-enactor wearing one.Though this is improving.

The trollcross has its own lore these days and that does not detract from the spiritual significance that those who wear it. However far back we like to take the roots of our beliefs, how we believe is a thoroughly contemporary practice. We live in a world and culture that is contemporary and the influences in our lives are vastly different to those of our ancestors. A trollcross has its place in the canon.

But it is not a Viking age design, nor is it based on a rune. It is a piece of jewellery designed by a Swedish blacksmith calle Kari Erlands. She came up with a design that the world ran with it and largely forgot her part in the history of it, she lost her authorship. Nor did she benefit from it financially, and not for the lack of trying.

As a creative, I want to be at the very least recognised for my part in a story. So I understand her point very well. 

The third aspect that I will explore in looking at the design process is how we are influenced by what we see and where do we draw the line between originality and inspiration and where it becomes copying.  On wether or not anyone should claim ownership on symbols of faith and on the little law that the simpler a idea or concept is, the more likely it is that several people will come up with it completely independently.

So as my part on keeping the history alive and accurate, I am sharing with you on how some of designs in my shop came to be I am creating this mini series. I am hoping to have time to create little Youtube videos based on it too, to reach a wider audience, than just those of you who like to read.

 

Marleena Barran 2024

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pure Iron Jewellery: maintenance & care

Image
When wearing iron jewelry, you can take two distinct approaches on how you treat it. Neither approach is better than the other. They are different paths and which one you take is your choice.  You can choose to let time & the environment take its toll and appreciate the full beauty of the item while it lasts. Eventually the metal will rub against your skin and clothes and start to polish around the edges into a grey metallic colour, beautiful in its own right, but different. This way you can be witness to the natural process of age. Depending on how much you wear your jewellery this can take about one to two years. Alternatively you can choose to maintain its present state, to enjoy the beauty longer. This article tells you how. Keep Iron dry Iron as a metal is not as stable as gold or silver. When it comes into contact with oxygen in the air or water, it will try to combine with the oxygen to create an iron oxide. We know this as rust. This is the rea...
Read more

Stories: The Great Oak of the Kalevala

Image
When the world was new, the land was bare, and no trees grew. Old man Vainamoinen called upon the seeds to be sown. All the trees took, except for the one: the hallowed Oak. For three days and nights old man Vainamoinen swore and shouted, frustrated by the seashore, but still the Oak would not grow. Then out of the waves came Turisas, the mighty sea monster. He took some grass of the shore and burned it into ash. And Into the ash he placed an acorn and from that acron a seedling grew. The seedling waxed and grew, it became the Great Oak. The Oak grew so big that it blocked out the sun & moon, it seized the clouds and winds in their paths. The world became dark, still, void of light. Old man Vainamoinen wondered; Who would be as mighty to cut down the Great Oak? No one could do it, try as they might. So old man Vainamoinen spoke, called upon mother Nature to send forth many a strong man from the Water Folk. It was then that out of the sea a tiny man came forth, al...
Read more

Origins: The Uppsala Amulet Ring Pendant

Image
This is the pendant that inspired me to write the Origins series. Its a bit of a long story so bear with me! The Uppsala Amulet Ring pendant has been one of our most popular designs. It is also the one that has perhaps been the inspiration to several reproductions, some of which are erroneously sold as historical reproductions. As a former historical re-enactor it is important for me that there is a record on how this particular design came to being. Now, with a lot of my work, I do take a lot of inspiration from history. I started out making historical reproductions. I have taken part in some experimental archaelogy and love doing research into ancient metalworking methods. But such work was creatively very stifling, as you where limited to items you could prove existed and methods that would have been available back in the day. When I started selling on Etsy in 2012 and to an audience outside of historical re-enactment I took creative flight and only used history as a ...
Read more