to: Craft > #30 - Make a Pendant
Make a Pendant
Maru López
Make a pendant, a wall hanging, or jewelry for your rearview mirror
You are invited to make your own piece of jewelry. The following steps will guide you; read them before you begin, or dive right into making. There is no wrong way to go about it.
You will need a few materials to start. Gather a pair of scissors, a glue stick, something to draw with—be it crayons or markers, acrylic paints or pencils—and a shiny piece of string, rat tail, or silk cord. If you prefer, a white cotton cord would work just fine.
Take a moment to look at the shapes…
Envision how you would place them. Then cut out the stones and the pendant.
Place the stones on the pendant in the way you envisioned. Then move them around, trying different compositions. When you are finally satisfied, glue the stones to the pendant with the glue stick.
You can paint the back, or leave it as is. Then tie the string to the pendant.
Your art jewelry piece is ready to be worn, displayed, and shared with others.
Biography
Maru López
She/Her/Hers
By Shannon Donohue
How do we give good gifts to each other? If you are looking for a step-by-step process—one that applies both in person and in virtual settings—let me propose a first step: Listen.
Reflection upon what you hear is where you will find the tools, the materials, the textures, viscosity, and tensions. It becomes a way that you encourage yourself. It gives you a moment to pause and consider your first, second, and any other inclinations. Reflection holds space for curiosity to do its most private work.
Maru López is a jewelry maker and researcher who paces her own curiosity with her process. In both her craft practice and research, she reflects on intensive study of Latin American history and culture, bringing it into dialogue with time growing up and returning to Puerto Rico throughout her life. In exploring the connections we make with objects through changes like these, she engages with memory and materials in a way that invites the learner and the wearer to be both if they like.
From Puerto Rico, Maru went on to study fashion in New York and jewelry making in Florence, Italy. The shift from fabric to metal was a simple one; while Maru continues to include an array of materials in her jewelry, metal remains her most beloved medium. Because Maru established modes of care and reflection throughout each phase of her training, she models a critical humility that prompts others to listen and reflect as they consider the stories they themselves will tell. Maru is currently encouraging and inspiring this craft community (and many others) from San Diego, California.