Fish Beads and Spirituality

Anne saw my blog and she wrote to me to ask me if I would feature her beads. After taking a look, I could not resist...they were beautiful. So I would like to share them with you and share her story as well.

Anne loves jewelry, but she doesn't wear a necklace because it goes with her shirt, or hair. She wears it to remind her of a truth. Each necklace is another truth she has learned, and clings to. The talisman around her neck soothes by its presence.

Anne made bird necklaces for twelve years, and now she makes lamp work glass fish wearable art. While she makes pendant necklaces and pearl necklaces with these fish, she finds the jewelry others make from her beads to be a greater spur to exploring new heights. Each trout or koi bead Anne holds in her hand inspires her to release her negativity, and allow the positive to flow into her. Native Americans believe the trout to be a sign of the presence of healing waters.

The trout and char she credits to the influence of her deceased grandfather. He accompanied her on many fishing trips, on the lakes and rivers of South Dakota. There is a magical quality to childhood memories, and a part of Anne lives on in that place, still fishing, smiling up from under a baseball cap. She is always striving to recreate in glass the sparkling life she caught on the end of her line, that emerged from the water like a living emerald.

While every fish is a unique result of flame, silver foil, and reduction glasses, each is created to reflect a specific species, local variety, and gender of North American Trout or Char.

Her company, Grama Tortoise Beads and Jewelry, is named after the mythical Grandmother Tortoise, whose gift of jewelry to a young woman helps the girl to recognize and achieve her potential power. To read the story, checkout Anne's website, www.GramaTortoise.com.