4 Kina Forged Bracelet

From the Kina Collection - A heavy forged sterling silver bracelet textured and blackened for dramatic effect.  It has 4 kina around the band, 2 in copper and 2 in sterling silver, with sterling silver rings in between each kina.

As I was designing and making this piece, it reminded me of the constraints we place on ourselves and how we need to break out of the rhetoric we have in our head.  The kina shells reminds us that friendship is solid and can help us to move away from those constraints to embrace and celebrate who we really are. 

The kina (sea urchin) is considered a delicacy to eat to New Zealanders.  These kina have been cast from kinas found washed up on the shores of Leigh (just north of Auckland, Aotearoa - New Zealand) after a storm by a friend of mine.  They remind me of connection, generosity, strength and survival.