Using Real Sea Glass – A long, worthwhile journey!
When I set out to make sea glass jewelry 23 years ago, I entered an already robust landscape of sea glass jewelers. It was particularly apparent when we kicked off the very first “Sea Glass Festival” in Rockport at a building that is now its totally renovated Senior Center, but was a community center that badly needed a facelift! Working alongside Carole Lambert, the “Queen” of the sea glass movement, I learned a lot and made a commitment to only work with authentic sea glass in my work.
Naturally, this has its challenges. Making sure keep up a robust collection is harder and harder as there are more “hunters” and less treasures. Staying away from tempting yard sales or online solicitations to find more is another! The one time I did that I was highly disappointed and had to throw it all away in the garden. Many of my old, favorite places are either now blocked off by neighborhoods re-claiming their low tide rights or just plain barren from its popularity. Whereas 31 years ago, I could fill up a yogurt container on once “hunt” now that would take several weeks.
Having built a solid collection and continuing to create with it, however, has yielded many benefits. Creatively, it has forced me to find new ways to use what I have and find a new theme each year. Groups such as the BottleNeck Beauties and Anchor Lariats evolved directly from pieces that all had the same shapes. This year, I focused on unusual, one-of-a-kind formations that puzzled me for a long time. My large pieces are now used in garden Steppingstones.
But one of the most gratifying occurrences has been doing custom work from collectors’ personal collection. Additionally, in recent years, I’ve been honored with long term collectors “gifting” their collection to me as just happened this past week. It’s exciting to work with collections much older than mine.
Finally, as I expand my reach into new shops and galleries, there seems to be more and more interest in having REAL sea glass jewelry available to customers who understand the difference and ask for it. The value of sea glass is mostly in the eyes of the beholder and will often evoke a particular memory or experience. Beyond that, it’s finding its way into the realm of antiques – with each piece telling a story. It’s refreshing to hear from gallerists and retailers that they see an increase in appreciation of authentic sea glass and sea pottery!
See more about Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco
