I am an American of Armenian decent.  These necklaces are a series that was inspired by the intricate designs of Armenian Needle Lace. One of the names of this lace is Dandella, and thus the series carries that name. This lace that was unique to the Armenian people was the only art form to survive the Armenian Genocide of 1915. In the aftermath of the genocide the personal belongings, art, and treasures of the Armenian people were disposed of by the Turkish people and their government. The lace survived in large part because all that was required to create it was a needle and a thread.

      In the aftermath of the Genocide, the Red Cross gathered the survivors. The widows and orphans were placed into orphanages the women were instructed to teach the lacemaking to the young girls. The exquisite lace was extremely fine and intricate. It was highly valued and sold all over Europe in order to support the orphanages.

    As an artist I had always wanted to create something that in someway would reflect my ethnic roots.  I had thought perhaps a painting that would commemorate the Armenian Genocide of 1915, but I have never quite found the inspiration.  

     One evening last year, as I was working on the first of the ebony necklaces, I happened to check my emails and found that there was a call from the Diocese of the Armenian Church to pray for the Archbishop who was gravely ill.  There was a link, which I assumed would take me to more details about his condition.  I clicked on the link and was stunned when instead it took me to a page about Armenian needle lace.  Amazingly the photographs of the lace looked just like the jewelry that I was at that very moment engaged in creating!  The similarities were startling!  I immediately showed the images to my husband and he remarked that it looked as if I had had a “DNA leak”! 

      I feel as if I have picked up that simple thread that symbolizes the survival of the artistic heritage of the Armenians people almost 100 years after the terrible events of 1915.  I have reinterpreted these intricate laces that were made of the most humble of materials, and have translated and reinterpreted them in the most precious and incorruptible of materials.  It thrills me that a symbol of the survival of our culture has been the inspiration for this work. I feel that though the pieces are contemporary, they have a timeless quality about them.

        These pieces are entirely hand fabricated and assembled.  Each one is unique and one-of-a-kind creation.  The assembly process is quite complicated in that they require extreme precision and care as the components are first crafted and then assembled. Each one is a challenging and joyful experience for me to create. I feel privileged to be able to make them.

Dandella Medallions