Finding inspiration is a special kind of journey
As artists, we are constantly striving to find something both powerful and ephemeral. If we search too hard it will hide in the shadows and slyly fly away. And, once we have it, we can’t hold on too tightly. It will wriggle right through our fingers and we will spend our days wondering why it suddenly abandoned us. Inspiration will only come to those who exist in a world where their thoughts and their feelings are free enough to explore the spaces between. The space between us. The space between mountains. The space between stars. Inspiration is the echo of those thoughts. The echo that builds as it bounces through every part of our lives, every part of our world. It can’t be bound inside our own heads or hearts. It has to be able to fly to find the puzzle pieces it needs. Those pieces exist within ourselves, our friends, our world, and our universe.
And, it won’t ever stay. We can’t cage it. We have to renew our call to it each time. And, sometimes, it will appear.
A New Inspiration Each Time
We all know that the world holds inspiration enough to create experiences that can last a lifetime. Every new journey is a chance to find more inspiration in the natural world and the world of our human experience. We bring this powerful currency back home with us and we use it to craft a beautiful thought into a piece of physical beauty that can amplify the joy and the wonder of whoever possesses its rare form. We put these tokens on display and call them “jewelry”.
Let me introduce myself. I’m Cyle. I’ll be your guide as we explore all the wonder that the amazing world of jewelry has to offer.
Our first Exploration: The San Juan Mountains
We live in Montrose because this area of Southwestern Colorado is filled with natural wonders. The most prominent of these wonders is the San Juan Mountains. This range is as varied and stunning as any in the world. Filled with flora and fauna that range from gentle and graceful to beautiful and terrifying, each trek through these sky-reaching valleys and streams is new and glorious. But, we know that every mountain has a heart of its own. So we journeyed to Mount Sneffels. This 14,000 foot peak is an icon in our part of the world and helps provide us with both a monument to wonder at and a peak to surmount. Standing atop Sneffels shows you just how awesome is our world. It teaches us that we can find our place anywhere, even touching the sky itself. What better place to open your heart to the world around you and listen to its slight susurrus resolve into the sight of sparkling vistas that stretch to eternity?
The towering earth of this range can be imposing and daunting. The folds of earth that give proof of the crushing gravity of the mountains above them, bear witness to the difference between the profound endurance of the bones of the earth and our tiny, fragile bodies. But, if you are willing to let your ideas fly freely into the deepening curves you can find the spark of comfort and joy that lies in the shadow of these behemoths. They may be crushed by the weight of their falling brothers in time, but until then, they hold each other at bay. They look down on us with crystalline tears and offer the safety of their hidden grottoes. The echoes of these hills are tinged with a slow moving compassion that exists with geological persistence. There will always be some small space perfectly suited to us, if we are willing to experience the world outside of our own lives. And, so many times, that place will bring out the most powerful forms that our beauty can become.
Finding the Beauty that Speaks to You
Just as those mountains create spaces for us that comfort and caress. We create spaces for the jewelry that represents them. Make your hands a home for a new ring. Let a pendant feel the beat of your heart. Let the earrings hear the the songs you love as they move with your bobbing head.
Are you inspired to reach out? We hope so! We love finding the wonderful connections in our world that drive us to create all the new and beautiful pieces you’ll see. How can you share in our experiences? Seek us out. Visit our website at OuraySilversmiths.com. Call us at (970) 240-0060. Come and visit Jilian or me in person. Our gallery in Montrose, CO is at 312 E Main St. We can’t wait to tell you the stories of our jewelry and our adventures. We will see you soon!