Ballast by Kerianne Quick

The work consists of both practical and theoretical jewelry objects, made from discarded bricks from the brickworks of the Hudson River Valley. All the bricks were hand cut and carved. Some were tumbled to appear as they would if they were washed for years in the waves of the river. Some were strung using traditional pearl knotting techniques on silk, while others required that the stringing material be steel cable in order to support the weight of the brick material. Aluminum crimps were used to connect the steel cable or in place of 'knots' to suspend the brick segments along the cable. Polyolefin shrink tube was used as a coating to protect the bricks from wear and the wearer from the rough surface of the steel cable.