Maria VAN RIET 2024

Herinneringe van `n Kindjie tussen die See en Platteland

(Memories of a Little Child Between the Sea and Countryside)

Jewellery is not just adornment but a vessel for storytelling, a canvas where I can etch the memories of my childhood. Each piece of wearable art pays homage to those formative years and a tangible narrative crafted from the relics of a time past, imbued with the essence of the sea`s salty breeze or the earthy scent of the “platteland”.

The work functions as memory of the days when the horizon seemed endless and the sky stretched out like a vast, unexplored canvas. Textures evoke the roughness of seashells and the fresh aroma of citrus fruits. The materials link to our family home in the “platteland” and time spent alongside the sea, diving and collecting sea shells on the beach.

I communicate my memories into jewellery pieces through various techniques like metalsmithing, woodworking (a skill passed down from my Grandfather) and needlework skills (taught by my Grandmothers and Great Grandma). By incorporating found objects like lemon thorns, seashells, wood, and citrus peels.—each tied to my childhood memories and family home—I interpret and integrate them into my designs using diverse jewellery-making methods and materials.

The transformation of stories into metal is not just physical but sensory and evokes the senses - the sight of the shimmering ocean at sunrise, the touch of the salty breeze as it dances through your wet hair, the smell of rain on parched earth. My creations are not just seen but experienced; they are an invitation to touch, to explore, to remember.

In this way, my jewellery becomes a bridge between past and present, a means for others to connect with the stories I hold dear. It is my hope that when someone wears one of my pieces, it is an invitation to step into my world to feel the joy of a childhood and a tangible expression of recollection, eternally encapsulated within the metal and objects.

Each piece is imbued with a spirit of joy, a whisper of nostalgia, and a deep sense of appreciation. When someone chooses to wear one of my creations, they’re not just putting on an accessory; they’re embracing a story, a moment, or a memory that resonates with their own journey. It's a beautiful connection, one that transcends the mere act of wearing and becomes a shared experience, a shared emotion between the creator and the wearer.