Tiered lichen earrings in red enamel and argentium sterling silver

Lately, I've been thinking about the living things around us that often go unnoticed--the insects crawling through the soil, the moss on the path, the lichen creeping across stones. These enamel earrings are inspired by the organic forms of lichen. They are entirely hand-cut from copper and shaped using a dapping block before being enameled in a red opaque vitreous (glass) enamel with just a touch of orange to it. I never re-use patterns. Each of the shapes in my lichen-inspired jewelry is unique. These are bold, lightweight, and very subtly asymmetrical.

I use only argentium sterling silver for my ear wires and the other silver elements in my jewelry. Argentium sterling silver is a hypoallergenic alloy of silver. It contains more pure silver than ordinary sterling (93.5% or 94%, vs. a minimum of 92% for other sterling). It contains no nickel. It is very durable, and unlike ordinary sterling silver, it is tarnish-resistant.