Jewelry box tour 3 || Amy Sacksteder

1| Your name, s’il vous plait Amy Sacksteder

*  I met Amy a few years ago through Lauren of Dear Golden Vintage. That was a happy day. Although I don't see her nearly as much as I would like to, when I do see her she is always wearing an outfit that I covet (often paired with great boots that I also covet). And the girl knows how to accessorize in a no-fuss way with the perfect combination of tough/modern and delicate vintage pieces. An admirable skill, for sure. You can check out Amy's lovely blog here.

2| Where do you live? Scenic Michigan, U.S.A.

3| What do you do during the day and at night?
Day: artist/ art professor
Other days/night: reading: Murakami-ish magical realism, biographies, social action, historical fiction, art books; gardening; traveling; collecting vinyl LP’s and enjoying them with friends and drinks; running and yoga; playing around in the kitchen making great vegan food with my partner in crime, Mark; eating amazing food and seeking out wonderful restaurants in different cities; organizing, rearranging, scheming, planning and general better-making.

4| What do you look for in a piece of jewelry? What are you drawn to? I have a hard time putting my finger on it.  I hate to say I know it when I see it, but it’s true. Common qualities seem to be: vintage, tassels/dangly elements, stackablity (for rings), uniqueness, something that resonates with a rich past; that connects me to the woma(e)n who once wore it (or man; I like a good man’s watch). But sometimes I’m a sucker for a new, innovative handmade piece as well, or a small treasure I bring home from a trip that can bring me to back that time and place whenever I wear it.

5| Tell me about the jewelry you wear the most. Is there something that you never take off? Well, I never really take off my antique engagement ring or my grandma’s thin gold wedding ring given to me by my mom.  I tend to wear the same earrings for long stretches and switch out necklaces or rings to suit my mood.  Even with those, I still go through infatuation phases where I’ll wear the same gold necklace with my mom’s little gold pendants from the 70’s or a carved plastic (or bone?) rose necklace for weeks, for example.  For earrings, I’m lately partial to my mom’s old gold hoops because I barely know they’re there and a pair of black lava rock studs I got in Iceland when I was there for an artist residency last year. I also always keep the same brooch on specific jackets or coats. They seem to want each other, and who am I to deny them that?

 

6| What is your jewelry weakness? Although I only have one piece in each of these categories, I swoon for gutta percha Victorian mourning jewelry and antique English and American (Hoffman) butterfly wing jewelry. I love sleek, black jett and obsidian antique pieces. I am also always on the lookout for early plastics such as Bakelite and Lucite. Aaaand just when you thought you were getting to know me, I’m also going to tell you that I love to wear pieces that have a bit of rock n’ roll fierceness to them like large, bulky rings or ostentatiously long / large necklaces. 

7| What’s the last piece of jewelry you added to your box? Since first writing this interview, my grandfather passed away and I thus inherited a gorgeous ring from my grandmother, who passed away in April (that's the lovely turquoise and jelly opal ring on the right above). Also, my grandmother had given me her 1942 class ring when I was eleven or so. The emblem/class crest had come off and I kept the ring for years with the solder on the top, not wanting to wear it. Then this fall, I had the idea to have a diamond from my wedding ring (which had lost one and had two remaining) set into the surface of the ring which connects me to it/her even more. I cherish both rings and wear them a great deal.

8| Please tell me a great story about one of the pieces in your jewelry box. Many of my most cherished pieces were inherited or given to me as gifts. One of the strangest and most interesting objects I own is a large, black, fringed neckpiece made out of a thrifted black t-shirt and plastic, wood and metal beads made by an Icelandic artist. My friend Una wore it to the group exhibition opening that marked the end of my November residency in Reykjavik. I told her how much I loved it and inquired about the artist. She immediately took it off and placed it over my head and declared “It’s yours!  It looks better on you anyway.”  She wouldn’t take no for an answer. I received a steady stream of compliments the rest of the long, celebratory night.

 

9| If price was not an issue, what piece of jewelry would you give to your best friend? I would give Duff a certain 1920s Egyptian Revival necklace with a tiny sarcophagus and a pale blue enamel chain (hi Duff!).  I would buy Lauren this super fancy bejeweled wildcat ring she wanted ages ago, for a surprise. 

{This jewelry box series will "air" every Wednesday this month, with five interviews in all. You can read details about the series and check out last week's interview here.}