luana coonen: getting close to nature

Luana Coonen was raised in Hawaii where she lived immersed in nature.  Now living in San Franscisco, she misses that close proximity to nature and often encases the precious bits and pieces of nature she finds in this urban setting into her jewelry.

Lichen, butterfly and scarab beetle wings, rose petals, tulip seeds, ivy leaves and other precious reminders of nature’s patterns are often combined with sterling silver, acrylic, 14k gold, nickle, brass, copper and enamel. If I was ever inclined to wear a tiara, Coonen’s Fern Tiara has my name on it.

“She integrates these inspiring natural objects with her jewelry designs. In her creative process, Luana amplifies these seemingly mundane objects by combining them with precious materials, drawing attention to the little specimens, giving them voice in an otherwise muted urban environment. Her work is a daily reminder, placed directly on the body, that nature’s true and tested designs are our most precious and valuable tools for learning.” from her website

Coonen’s Etsy shop

via Secret Life of Jewelry