Travellers of Eternity

Vitreous enamel on fine silver, setting in sterling silver and 14k gold. 18KY gold plated chain on 18-20” adjustable hollow Rolo chain.

50mm H x 53mm W x 5mm D

Travelers of Eternity
I have had a lifelong affinity to the art of Japan and the unique aesthetic of Shibusa
expressed within the many exquisite works and mediums of Japanese art. In particular, I
have always loved the Japanese scrolls and the elegant Haiku often written upon them.
As Shakespeare is to theatre and Michaelangelo is to sculpture, the famous Haiku poet Matsuo Bashō, (1644-97), is widely considered the greatest haiku poet of all time, both in the range and quality of his poetry. My piece created for this exhibition was inspired by the first few lines of a journal entry written by Bashō while on an extended spiritual journey.
“Days and Months are Travelers of eternity. So are the years that pass by. Those who steer a boat across the sea or drive a horse over the earth till they succumb to the weight of the years, spend every minute of their lives travelling”.
This observation by Bashō resonated with me and felt particularly appropriate to the theme of Finding the Way, inspiring me to create this piece. The boat is a universally understood symbol of navigation, journeys, and finding the way to somewhere known or unknown. This imagery of a boat crossing open waters was translated into vitreous enamel and inspired by vintage Japanese Kimono pattern books that I have been collecting for many years. The pearl drop on this pendant adds an appropriate accent. Born of the sea, pearls were a unique symbol often used in the Georgian and Victorian period’s Mourning and Sentimental Jewelry as a reference to tears shed in remembrance for those who were loved and lost. The final detail includes the first two lines of Bashō’s reflections are handwritten in China paint of the back of the piece.