Inspired by Cornish stone walls covered in lichens,

This oxidised silver and recycled gold brooch is designed with the names of some the British lichens which grow on the sea wall at Trelissick beach in Cornwall. The names are etched into the surface and add texture and detail to the piece while reminding you that these small lives are precious and beautiful.

I hand write the words onto the recycled silver before etching to give a raised design which you can feel when you run your finger over the textured surface.

There are many smaller, less well known places (in the UK) that are home to a wonderful kaleidoscope of mosses, lichens and plants.

Walls offer considerable opportunities for colonization by marine and maritime lichens. In lowland Britain where rocks are not exposed on the shore, walls of brick, concrete or flint may bear the only seashore lichen floras, adding considerably to the biodiversity of the site. Generally however, walls have a less rich lichen flora than natural rocks because they are much younger. Fletcher (1997) found that walls near to habitations had the richest lichen floras because they were the most useful and were therefore better maintained, but they were not necessarily the oldest. British Lichen Society.

The Talisman project is about lost words and species on the edge of extinction – wild flowers, birds, kelp forests, sea grass and, of course, lichen. They are Talisman pieces of jewellery to be worn and loved and remind the wearer that nature is important. We are part of nature, not separate from it, and we all need to take more care.

- A donation from the sale of this piece will go directly to charity.

- Aprox measurements 65 x 35 x 6mm

- Beautifully packaged in a Lucy Spink Jewellery box.

- Recycled Eco Silver and recycled 18ct gold.

- Cleaning information for your jewellery is available in my blog post.

Hand crafted contemporary organic jewellery for people who love wild places. Inspired by Cornwall, made in Cornwall.