But recently, a memory resurfaced that reminded me the subconscious works in mysterious ways.

Picture this: adorable me, second grade, bewitched by the screen. Was it a cartoon? A kid’s movie? No. It was the romance drama The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and the incomparable Whitney Houston. I’m not sure I knew what was going on, frankly. It didn’t matter though, because my focus was solely on Whitney’s style. More specifically, a stacked silver ring adorning her index finger. She wore it in almost every scene. Did the movie have dialogue? Probably. I didn’t care. I loved the ring and I wanted one just like it. Badly!

The iconic ring Whitney wears in The Bodyguard

Even though I was only seven, I was a burgeoning curator of beautiful things. I loved art and clothing. Everything had to be just right. (Yes, I am an Aries, thank you for asking.)

So I dragged my mother into every local store until I found an approximation of the ring. I wore it to school every day that year, excited by the frisson of wearing something that represented me. It’s a special moment in anyone’s life, no matter what age, to see something that sparks a light within you and make it a part of your life.

Years later, I draw on inspiration from everything around me to design jewelry. I talk often about how architecture, shape, sentiment, and art influence my pieces. But the unspoken moment is imbued within each piece too: I design jewelry that makes me feel something, just like Whitney’s ring did all those years ago (and still does!). And my greatest hope? That each piece makes you feel something too.