Meet My New Friend: Lord Byron

"She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies."

Lord Byron was a one of the most widely known of the Romantic Poets. His poetry is filled with the flowery language of love as much as his life was lead in pursuit of the ideal of love. His words resonate with a longing and passionate romantic side and his life was filled with many trysts and even scandalous affairs including one with a half-sister. He spent much time in Italy and Switzerland and retained a strong connection to Greece, including a young Greek lover named Nicolo whom he had placed in his will.

"One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling place."

Lord Byron wrote this poem in homage to the wife of his deceased cousin, a Mrs. Anne Wilmot. He met her at a party and was enthralled with her great beauty. This is less of a love poem about trying to woo but rather more about ideal of her beauty. And she must have been one heck of a beauty!

"And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!"

I like to have some sort of inspiration when I make a piece of jewelry. I find it incredibly hard to just create in a vacuum for an unnamed wearer, which is likely why most everything I sell is a custom creation for a client. I would like to be able to create and sell more things to the general public, but I find it difficult to do. The things that I make that are the most successful are the ones that have a story to them and allow the wearer to be transported to another realm.

One other such iconic beauty was my grandmother, Agnes. I have a photograph of her that my Aunt Dorothy gave to me that is really one that I treasure. Of course, she was only about 15 in this photo so it is not at all as I remember her, but I love to see the girl that she was.

I also like to participate in challenges from time to time as a way to keep my work fresh and current. Vintaj is a company that I love to work with as their pieces are of such good quality and the effect is sublime. They have a monthly challenge on their blog and July was "Fond Memories." My grandmother is the subject of this fond memory. Although it is not a memory that I have, I love to invent the story behind this evocative 15-year old beauty sitting in a garden on the family farm. What was she doing there? Who was the photographer? What is she thinking?

So I combined my inspirations for this challenge....my grandmother's photograph, the rich beauty of the Vintaj brass and the poem by Lord Byron. I think that the effect is nothing short of magical.