Like all of my collections, each revolves around a natural narrative that has inspired me throughout my life. The Cameo collection is an ode to the Art Nouveau era, but also the stories of women and the complexities they possess. This year in particular, I've found inspiration in varying goddesses and my latest Cameo Lady is no exception.
I hand carved this Medusa-inspired Lady, choosing to place her snake-strands behind her to add elegance to the silhoutte, verses the traditional depiction of them protruding out and around her face. From there, I had this contemporary cameo cast in argenitum silver; I set a series of chocolate diamonds in each of snakes to add additional glamour to the gritty metal, and contrast to the bright, organic robin's egg-blue Turquoise.
Traditionally, the mythology of Medusa is a story of a venomous woman, down to her snake-hair, who turned mortals to stone for looking into her eyes. Like most mythology, there are varying origin stories- some recounted that she was born a beautiful maiden and her monstrous state was punishment, others described her as fair yet terrifying. In more current culture, Medusa has been reclaimed as an angry woman misunderstood.
Despite the Gorgon's classic depiction in Greek mythology, Hannah Blount Jewelry's Medusa inspires beauty and wisdom in all who look into her eyes.
