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Well, no.  But I'm rather pleased with it anyway.

Inspired by Veronica Schanoes' "Rats" (Interfictions, ed. Delia Sherman & Theodora Goss, Small Beer Press, Boston, 2007), "Lily, Surrounded by Rats" is made up of antique faceted gunmetal glass beads,  twinned black stick pearls, and a luminous tear-drop of jelly glass found in a junk shop.  "Rats" is a fairy tale inspired by a nightmare, a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" which overlays the death and life of Nancy Spungen, late of punk-rock legend.  I read "Rats" for the first time in the spring of 2006, I think, knowing nothing about Nancy Spungen or Sid Vicious - all I knew was that it was a beautiful, mind-blowing, heart-breaking revision of a fairy tale that had never really appealed to me.  The innate passivity of "Sleeping Beauty" had ticked me off since I was a child (maybe I was too influenced by an early reading of Hamlet: the line that always rang in my subconscious following her curse was "were it not that I have bad dreams").  I could never figure out why she'd been so quick to trust, why she'd sought out the tender prick of the spindle in the first place.  But, give our heroin(e) a reason to seek the needle?  I'm there.  All I know is, "Rats" made me cry, which almost never happens.  So, when I heard about the auction, it seemed like a pretty natural choice for interpretation ....

More images can be found here: "Lily, Surrounded by Rats," coming soon to an IAF auction near you.

Date: 2008-05-04 09:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] upstart-crow.livejournal.com
Oh very lovely!

(I have two pieces in this auction, and I might have a third if I can get it finished) :)

Date: 2008-05-04 10:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] erzebet.livejournal.com
Absolutely stunning.

Date: 2008-05-05 12:26 am (UTC)
ext_13034: "Jack of all trades; master of none." (not a good girl)
From: [identity profile] fireriven.livejournal.com
Oh, I love the composition of this piece! Very evocative of the story and it drapes so beautifully.

I also submitted a necklace to the auction (based on K. Tempest Bradford's "Black Feather"), but I haven't had the chance to put it on Livejournal yet. I may do it tonight, or wait until tomorrow.

Date: 2008-05-05 02:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vschanoes.livejournal.com
OK, this is the single most beautiful piece of jewelry I've ever seen, and I want it desparately. I'm honored and covetous and thank you.

Date: 2008-05-05 09:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ellen-kushner.livejournal.com
Darling, this is stunning, in concept and in execution - and in verbal description, too, of course! How funny to think that just last Friday we were sitting around teh livingroom with Tempest & Veronica opening the boxes of jewelry people had sent in, and joking "too bad no one's going to be able to do anything for 'Rats'. . . !"

Ha. And Go You.

Date: 2008-05-07 12:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ebess.livejournal.com
Oh, my Gawd!!

I was wondering if you were gonna do something!! This is incredible! (And thank you kindly for the props on mine as well.)

Also, it's good to "see" you! I've barely been on the LJ, I miss catching up. :) Hope all's well and you're enjoying married bliss!
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