Fashion
Beads Byaree Uses Earrings For Storytelling
Designer Areeayl Goodwin creates wearable art with rich context….
Goodwin’s love for jewelry goes back to her upbringing. “My mom is a crafter, so I went to a craft store with her once and saw a bunch of earring hooks,” she says. “I learned that people actually make jewelry.” Two of her early designs were the outline of a woman’s silhouette (which is still a recurring motif in the line), and her own name in cursive. Her mother taught her how to solder and weld metal, and she taught herself the rest. To this day, her process remains experimental and free-flowing. “I never sketch,” she says. “I just listen to music and make things.”
She now enjoys using pieces to convey a deeper meaning. “My art has grown with me on a spiritual level,” Goodwin says. “Now, I see more of a purpose with it.” She draws a lot of her inspiration from nature, and uses materials that, she hopes, will bring a calming energy to the wearer. Her recurring use of cowrie shells, for instance—like on her Come & Go & Come hoops—traces back to her African heritage, and touches on an affirmation that has guided her throughout life. “The shells mean a lot, they were used as currency in many countries in Africa,” Goodwin says. “Money is called currency for a reason; it comes and goes like a current. [The shells] have a spiritual meaning to me, to let people know that when you release, you receive.”
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