Why I Oxidize

I am an oxidizer. I openly admit it, and I don't make a piece of copper, brass or sterling silver jewelry without finishing it with a stinky bath of Liver of Sulphur.

It is a personal choice. Some people love the antiqued grey and black look while others tend towards shiny. But I am not a shiny person. I have never worn sequins, patent leather or rhinestones.  My bent for the old and worn goes back a long way.

When I was a young girl, I had a distant cousin and her mother from California stay with my family overnight.  My cousin was around 17 or so, with long, blonde hair and the easy tan that comes from surfing and swimming in the ocean year round.

When I woke up the next morning, I quietly crept into the living room to get a good look at her as she slept on our couch. She had numerous earring holes in each ear, filled with oxidized silver hoops in various sizes. That was so exotic to my 12 year old, raised in small town Arkansas mind. She wore a silver, oxidized necklace that didn't seem to be just adornment, but it was a part of her somehow.  It looked as if she had been born with it around her neck. It blended with her in a way that my gold butterfly necklace did not on me.

And her rings! It was the same thing. They were weathered and oxidized, and blended beautifully with her whole being. I was entranced. I have never forgotten that first feeling of seeing someone wear oxidized jewelry.

Of course, back then, I had no idea what oxidized jewelry was, or how to find it. I just remember the feeling of effortlessness and longevity and belonging to one's self it instilled in me.

When my husband and I moved to Singapore for a six month contract 7 years ago, I was walking down the street in the Arab part of the city, and during a rainstorm, ducked into a shop filled with mysterious and musky perfume oils. I found a box with oxidized tribal jewelry from Pakistan and Afghanistan in the back part of the shop. I felt like I had found my home. In that brief moment, I saw my future--I was going to learn how to make this jewelry and dive into finding out how to belong to myself, too.

As a new member of LMAJ, I want to extend my thanks to you, the readers, and to the amazing and talented artists that contribute daily to this forum.  I am excited to be a part of LMAJ and look forward to learning more from each and every one of you as we all walk our own path into creativity and honor our self expression, oxidized or not!

***I prefer to use Liver of Sulphur Extended Life Gel.  I like this product because there is no dry dust inhalation hazard. I use a pea sized amount and add to hot water. I immerse my jewelry in this hot bath (don't use boiling hot water!) until the desired color appears, then I rinse it off in cold water and let it air dry.

After it is dry, I rub off the excess patina with 0000 Steel wool that you can find in any hardware store, and tumble polish in my Lortone Rock Tumbler with stainless steel shot and 1 drop of Dawn liquid.  My studio is located in my garage next to our deck, so I usually do this outside because of the smell.