The necklace Platero was inspired by Platero Y Yo by Juan Ramon Jimenez.  It is the story of one man's journey with a little donkey named Platero.

...Perhaps this momentary life of ours is only the light that divides our infinite origin from our infinite end. Platero is a symbol of tenderness & purity. He is greatly beloved. The lyrical prose becomes a way for Jimenez to reflect on the journey through life. The notion of Journey as well as Pilgrimage are central to this project.

Pilgrims pass through territories not their own, seeking something we might call completion, or perhaps, clarity.  This Platero describes a lifelong journey of tenderness and purity. A journey of devotion taken by a herd of small donkeys and their companion, living together on a gulf island.  This journey IS the Donkeys. They are the guides and the companion's internal compass seeks a way forward.  One of these little donkeys is named Siog.

Two necklaces are worn together or separately. A tiny glass amphorae references ancient Pilgrimage flasks. Inside this transparent flask  circular lines describe a journey with no apparent beginning or end. Delicate black spirals comprise three long strands of Siog’s tail hair, encircling the internal orbit of the flask.

Inside this tiny sphere is a whole world, inviting the companion to contemplate the well worn paths around a central object: the devoted heart. The flask thus contains both the reason and the means of the journey.

Above the amphorae hangs a double pendant. A magnifying glass locket is mounted in a hammered copper bezel. A fragment of Victorian glass lantern slide is inset, and contains the single word...Pilgrims...written in cursive script. Pilgrims refer to all who take this journey. The slide depicts a scene from Pilgrims Progress. A Victorian painted picture button is mounted in an ornate copper bezel. This brass, iron and marcasite (iron pyrite) button depicts a tiny exquisite thistle...the plant traditionally loved by donkeys.

The amphorae is a bottle stopper with the end removed. A lid is made from a finely made green, cane-glass button in a sterling silver shank. The green connects us with the brilliant colours described by Jimenez.

Vintage steel chain, constructed steel connectors and mounts, bronze, brass, glass, Victorian lantern slide, paper, copper, sterling silver and brass button, sterling silver and glass button, hair