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"Vayu"
| Laurel Burch began
designing jewelry to sell on the streets of San Francisco's Haight Ashbury
in the 1960's. As the sole support of two infants from a failed marriage,
and suffering from the
continual broken bones of osteopetrosis, she survived by fashioning unique
ornaments from the coins, wire, bones and beads she found. Laurel
would often give away the jewelry that
a passer-by admired; the admiration for her work and the self-worth she
received was more important than money.
Laurel Burch's retail business was born with folk art galleries along the California coast. As more people became "Laurel Burch Collectors," her reputation grew by word-of-mouth. In 1971, both Vogue and Harper's Bazaar featured her pieces. Laurel made her first trip to China in 1972 -- the same year she discovered the ancient art of cloisonné and became the first American designer to establish a workplace in the People's Republic, so she could offer her jewelry in quantity and still maintain the handmade quality. |
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Her vision of a peaceful world and reverence for all living things is obvious in her continuous efforts for the homeless, hungry, and disabled, AIDS charities, children's causes, conservation and her concern for the general health and well-being of people all over the globe. |
THE SPIRIT OF WOMANKIND
"Woman's Spirit Blossoming"
| In awe, am I, of the beauty of
Balinese Daughters offering morning prayers at the rivers edge... and black African
mothers chanting their babies into sleep with ancient lullabies. With happy hearts,
sisters in Central America weave ribbons and flowers in their braids for a village
celebration, white at the same moment elderly women in India sing soulful songs to mourn
the loss of loved ones.
On a rainy day in China, two little girls walk to school, giggling under the same umbrella, while some old friends in Sausalito have tea and speak of their quest for wisdom, and notice new strands of silver in their hair. All such rituals express diverse yet similar spirit among the Women of the World. Common threads tie all mothers, daughters, sisters, elders, friends to each other, weaving a timeless tapestry rich in the colours of life and legacy. I created the imagery for this Collection as a means of encouraging the blossoming of Woman Spirit, and embracing ~ in these small, treasurable embodiments, a fraction of the immense heart of Womankind. Laurel
Laurel Burch |
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| Copyright 1997-2008 PJ Designs. All rights reserved. This page is not affiliated with Laurel Burch, Laurel Burch, Inc., The Laurel Burch Gallerie, or Laurel Burch Artworks, Inc. Images © Laurel Burch. Updated: January 2, 2008 |